Ask the Experts: Buying technology for children

Q: Parents at my nursery have asked for advice about buying tablet computers for their children as Christmas presents. What should I say?

June O’Sullivan: Computer games and tablets are popular Christmas presents because they are fun and parents are keen to ensure their children are confident with all aspects of technology. Many young children already use tablets and mobile phones. However, the impact on physical, social and cognitive development is unclear – the technology is developing far more rapidly than research.

There are concerns that devices can affect eyesight and contribute to childhood obesity because of the amount of time children spend indoors instead of playing outside.

There are also fears exposure to computer games at a young age may limit language skills or hamper children’s ability to make sense of what is real and what is not, leading to a distorted view of the world.

The NHS recommends children under the age of two should not use screen-based technology and that access for older children should be limited to no more than two hours a day. Playing games together is better all round as parents can guide their child’s learning. Advise parents to think carefully about the content before buying games.

June O’Sullivan is chief executive of the childcare charity and social enterprise, the London Early Years Foundation


Q: We seem to have a lot of trafficked children in our area. What do we do?

Peter Lewis: Trafficked children are among the most vulnerable and deserve and need care and protection. However, identifying them and keeping them safe is challenging because of the “hidden” nature of the problem.

Partnership work and collaboration between social care, police and third sector organisations are therefore key.

Many trafficked children are brought over to the UK from countries like Vietnam to grow cannabis. Close co-operation with the police is needed to investigate these cases.

Other children and young people are brought here, or trafficked in the UK, to be sexually exploited and abused. It is vital to ensure your workforce has the skills and training to identify victims and those at risk.

The government has been looking into establishing an advocacy service for trafficked children.

It is worth checking out the results of the pilot scheme and is something to consider in your area.

Peter Lewis is a freelance providing interim local authority children’s services leadership, and a former DCS in Haringey


Q: I have just got a new job at a residential care home for nine young men and am the only worker on duty at night. The young people can be quite disruptive and I don’t know how to handle it. Any advice?

Tracie Trimmer-Platman: While this arrangement may be appropriate in some settings, here it does not seem right for you to have been contracted to work on your own, particularly overnight.

As a new member of staff, you should have been partnered with an experienced worker who could show you the ropes. If this has not happened, or it has and you are not comfortable being on your own, you must tell your manager.

You need to feel confident and safe in order to be able to work with these young people in a way that benefits them. Your current employment situation does not sound like good practice or what we would want for vulnerable young people and so should be questioned.

Tracie Trimmer-Platman is senior lecturer in youth and community work at the University of East London


Q: We are to interview for a new member of staff and I would like to involve children. My manager says they can attend the interview, but shouldn’t ask any questions. Is that right?

Jeanie Lynch: Involving young service users in job interviews can either be an empowering experience for them or exactly the opposite. The worst case scenario is when children are simply used as decoration during recruitment. This can be confusing and damage their confidence.

If you go ahead, you need to be clear with the children as to why they are being involved and help them really think about what makes a good worker. Depending on their age, they can do preparation work beforehand to ensure their participation is genuine and meaningful. Some kind of reward is a good idea to thank them for their time.

If your manager is against this, then another good way of involving children in recruitment is to invite job applicants to attend an existing group to see how they participate and how comfortable they are.

Jeanie Lynch works for Barnardo’s and has 25 years’ experience of working with vulnerable children and families