The government has published its first national guidance on screen use for children under five, positioning it as evidence‑based, practical advice for parents. Released on 26 March 2026 and hosted on the Best Start in Life website, the guidance is a joint initiative led by the Department for Education (DfE) and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). (gov.uk)
The advice sets clear expectations: under‑twos should avoid screens other than for shared activities that promote interaction, while parents of two‑ to five‑year‑olds are encouraged to aim for no more than one hour per day. The guidance recommends co‑viewing, keeping mealtimes and the hour before bedtime screen‑free, prioritising slow‑paced, age‑appropriate content, and avoiding social‑media‑style short‑form videos. It also advises against AI‑enabled toys, tools or chatbots for young children pending further evidence. (beststartinlife.gov.uk)
The document stresses that not all screen use is equal. It highlights better developmental outcomes when a trusted adult is present and actively engaging with a child during viewing. For children with special educational needs and disabilities, it acknowledges a tailored approach may be required and notes the role of assistive technologies, while still protecting time for sleep, play and face‑to‑face interaction. (beststartinlife.gov.uk)
The guidance draws on work by an early years screen time advisory group co‑chaired by the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, and paediatrician Professor Russell Viner. Their remit was to review the evidence base and advise on practical measures for families; the group’s terms of reference and membership are published on GOV.UK. (gov.uk)
Recent datasets underline the scale of early exposure. The DfE‑commissioned Children of the 2020s study reports that 98% of two‑year‑olds watch television, videos or other digital content, averaging around 140 minutes per day; UCL’s summary places typical daily use at roughly two hours. The government also cites polling showing around a quarter of parents of 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds find screen time hard to control. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
Concerns about school readiness feature in the policy narrative. Early years charity Kindred Squared reports that 28% of pupils starting Reception are unable to use a book correctly, with some attempting to swipe or tap pages as if they were screens-an indicator, schools say, of wider challenges in language and attention. (kindredsquared.org.uk)
Today’s publication is advisory rather than statutory and is designed to support parental decision‑making rather than impose sanctions. It complements England’s rollout of Best Start Family Hubs, which will provide face‑to‑face access to the guidance alongside online materials; ministers have trailed a significant expansion of hubs by April 2026 to standardise early help across local authorities. (gov.uk)
The move also sits alongside a wider government consultation on children’s digital wellbeing, launched on 2 March 2026 by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. That consultation seeks views on measures including a minimum age for social media, overnight curfews for certain age groups, restrictions on addictive design features and AI chatbots, and whether mobile phone guidance for schools should become statutory; it closes at 11:59pm on 26 May 2026. (gov.uk)
Ministers have signalled a rapid legislative route. During Commons proceedings on 9 March 2026, the government confirmed plans to add regulation‑making powers to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. If enacted, these powers would enable the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to restrict access to social media or specific features by age, limit VPN use by children, and amend the UK GDPR “digital age of consent” subject to parliamentary approval. (hansard.parliament.uk)
For practitioners, the immediate implications are operational rather than legal: early years settings and health visitors gain a single reference point for conversations with families; parents receive consistent, non‑judgemental advice aligned with WHO recommendations that suggest no screens for under‑twos and around one hour per day for ages two to four. The strategic direction, however, is clear: parental guidance now, with potential statutory controls following the consultation and secondary legislation later in 2026. (who.int)