Morning, Tuesday, 28th April 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for children’s online safety in the UK - with the Government consulting on a ban on social media use for under 16 year-olds, Ofcom launching a call for evidence on content harmful to children, and recent guidance from the Department for Education on mobile phone use in schools. Discussion will also look at progress on implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Social media use for under 16s
Discussion will consider stakeholder perspectives on the Government’s consultation regarding a ban on social media use for children under 16, including potential implications for digital rights, challenges of enforcement, and how to ensure that children still have access to age-appropriate, educational content online. Further discussion will also explore the role of social media platforms in child online safety, and the potential impact of the proposed ban on the alignment of broader safeguarding measures.
Online Safety Act 2023
Delegates will explore next steps for continued implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023, and its role in improving children’s digital safety. Discussion will consider priorities for effective age assurance, platform compliance, and the alignment of the act with existing guidance, such as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Discussion will assess early responses to Ofcom’s call for evidence on content harmful to children ahead of the statutory report due to be published in October 2026, and consider how platforms can be held accountable for the content they host and how emerging digital risks can be better regulated. Delegates will examine the role of the Online Safety Act in developing safer online spaces for children, the responsibilities of tech companies in preventing harmful content, and next steps for strengthening the protection of children’s digital rights.
Safeguarding & oversight
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss immediate priorities for children’s online safety emerging from the Department for Education’s open consultation Establishing the Child Protection Authority in England. Delegates will consider what effective national oversight should look like in practice - including powers, accountability, and how the authority would work with inspectorates, local safeguarding partners and frontline services to better support identification of trends in online harms and inform policy development on digital safety and regulation.
Regulating mobile phone use & support for schools
Delegates will explore next steps for regulating mobile phone use in schools, as outlined in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Discussion will assess the potential impact of mobile phone restrictions on student wellbeing and educational attainment, as well as support for schools in implementing proposed regulation effectively.
Discussion will consider the role of Ofsted in supporting schools to regulate mobile phone use through its updated inspection framework and priorities for ensuring mobile phone policies are consistently enforced across the education system. Delegates will consider how schools can develop clear guidelines for teachers to manage mobile phone use and support digital literacy education across the curriculum.
Overview of areas for discussion
- legislative priorities: the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - key safeguarding and education provisions - implementation readiness and sequencing
- national oversight: Establishing the Child Protection Authority in England consultation - powers and governance - working relationships with inspectorates and safeguarding partners
- online safety duties: Ofcom Online Safety Act codes and early enforcement priorities - age assurance and platform compliance - alignment with Keeping children safe in education
- multi-agency practice: information-sharing and data continuity - threshold alignment across services - governance for consistent local decision-making
- social media use for under-16s: government consultation on a proposed ban - implications for digital rights - enforcement challenges - ensuring age-appropriate access to educational content
- phone bans in schools: assessing the impact of regulating mobile use - safeguarding measures, educational outcomes - practical implementation strategies, including the role of Ofsted’s inspection framework
- digital literacy and resilience: building children’s resilience online - embedding digital literacy in the curriculum - promoting responsible digital citizenship - equipping children to deal with online risks
- exploitation and abuse: tackling online grooming, sexual exploitation, and abuse - the role of schools, tech companies, and law enforcement in preventing harm and supporting victims
- compliance and responsibilities: practical steps for schools to comply with the Online Safety Act 2023 - age assurance, reporting protocols - role of local authorities in monitoring enforcement
- data sharing and intelligence: strengthening multi-agency collaboration on online safety - information-sharing across services - aligning safeguarding thresholds in response to digital risks
- role of technology safeguarding: role of tech platforms in protecting children - age verification - harmful content removal - platform accountability - potential role of technologies in detecting online harm
