How technology can help – not harm – children’s wellbeing

Supporting New Digital Natives is a practical book designed to help parents, schools, and communities support children's wellbeing in our hyper-connected times. The book showcases eight inspiring case examples of what seems to work when it comes to helping young people have a healthy tech-life balance.

The focus of the book is on 'New Digital Natives', or NDNs as the book refers to them. NDNs are 'Gen Z' children born after 2000, and who are growing up in a world of ubiquitous always-on mobile technology. By the age of two, their weekly digital screentime can total 17 hours or more, and by seven they usually own or have access to a mobile phone. This is what distinguishes NDNs from the first, older, and original generation of 'digital natives' who adopted mobile technology as adolescents.

For the authors, NDNs face new challenges, and new opportunities, when it comes to their mental health and wellbeing. Their main contention is that we need to find creative ways to integrate and supplement technology with the things we know improve our children's wellbeing. These include social play, physical activity, being outdoors and in nature, and developing a sense of competence and self-determination. From digital skills badges in Girl Guides, to online classes for vulnerable children, Supporting New Digital Natives shows how technology can help, rather than harm, wellbeing.

Written for a general audience and penned by 10 UK-based experts with in-the-field experience of supporting children's wellbeing, the book is topped and tailed by two particularly excellent chapters.

The first chapter is by chartered psychologist Michelle Jayman and does an excellent job with the obligatory myth-busting when it comes to technology and the wellbeing of young people. Yes, young people are using more technology. Yes, their wellbeing and mental health has been deteriorating. No, there is no compelling evidence suggesting a strong causal link between the two. Apart from extreme use among certain at-risk children, tech-time can be positive, rewarding and help children develop important life skills.

The penultimate chapter illustrates the book at its best. Jayman and Kyrill Potapov recount an inspiring case study with children at a West London school who have co-created a new wellbeing app, called LifeMosaic. Working with teachers, pupils discussed, designed, and developed an app that could help them manage their own wellbeing. The process certainly helped children open up and talk about wellbeing as part of a creative process. In doing so, the initiative built on the important principle that children should be included as legitimate stakeholders in the design, development and evaluation of any new technologies aimed at them.

Overall, Supporting New Digital Natives is a refreshingly hopeful and upbeat book that showcases positive and practical solutions for supporting wellbeing with digital technology, rather than catastrophising, demonising and problematising digital technology. If you're looking for tech limits, rules, bans or restrictions, you won't find them in this book. What you will find is a fabulous source of inspiration for helping children develop, flourish, and thrive in our increasingly digitalised world.

- Reviewed by Dr Paul Marsden, Consultant Psychologist and Lecturer in Psychology at University of the Arts, London