One third of children can use their phone or iPad whenever they want, new research by CyberSafeKids has revealed. 

On Lunchtime Live, psychologist Dr Mary O’Kane said she “really wasn’t” surprised by the findings but that they should worry us all. 

 “The message, as society, is that we need to start listening to this,” she said. 

“We need to start really thinking about the impact that this is having on our children’s lives. 

“These were eight to 12 - can you imagine if they’d asked the teenagers? These are the little ones. 

“It really is so worrying.” 

Children play on a mobile phone. Picture by: Gregory Wrona / Alamy Stock Photo. 

Dr O’Kane added that keeping a phone in the bedroom is “one of the most dangerous places to have it”. 

“When parents give their child a phone, they think, ‘I’m giving my child access to the world, access to their friends’,” she explained. 

“But what they forget is they’re giving the world access to their child.” 

A child using a phone in the kitchen in front of their parents will have some emotional reaction to harmful content; in their bedroom, no one will be around to see fear or worry flicker across their face.

“It’s not only the bedroom,” Dr O’Kane added. 

“It’s any room that is separate; they are really, really vulnerable.”

Main image: A child looks at a phone. Picture by: Westend61 GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo.