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The St Helena Government (SHG) wishes to inform the public that effective from 1 October 2026, a small 2% adjustment will be introduced for Health and Social Care service fees and charges. This modest adjustment will be applied gradually over the next three years to help support and protect our essential health services for everyone on the island. In addition to this there will also be an increase on commercial fees for this period.
Resident fees have remained fixed since April 2021. In the five years since, the cost of providing care has increased significantly, driven by global rises in medical supplies prices, rising freight charges, and the growing need for specialised overseas medical referrals. At present, patient fee contributions cover just 3.1% of the overall Health and Social Care running costs, with the remainder funded through Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aid and local taxation.
To keep care affordable for our community, the modest 2% adjustment has been set purposefully low. It remains:
- Below St Helena’s local inflation forecast
- Below the cost increases faced by the NHS in the UK
- Well below the global average 10% annual rise in medical expenses
What the Changes Mean for Charges (Effective 1 October 2026)
- Prescription Fees: Moving from £2.60 to £2.65 per item (rising to £2.70 in 2027/28 and £2.75 in 2028/29) – a 5p increase year on year
- Hospital General Ward: Moving from £13.85 to £14.15 per day – a 30p per day increase
- CT Scan: Moving from £20.55 to £20.95 – a 40p increase
- Dental Examination: Moving from £10.30 to £10.50 – a 20p increase
- Social Care Services: A 2% adjustment, supported by ongoing hardship reviews to protect those who need assistance
Minister for Health and Social Care, Martin Henry, commented:
“Although this is a very modest adjustment and the first change since 2021, this decision was not taken lightly. We fully understand that households across St Helena are feeling the weight of rising living costs, and we know that no one wishes to see fees increase, especially when household budgets are tight.
However, with medical costs both locally and overseas growing far faster than our revenue, and with our community growing older and needing more complex care, taking no action would put the services we all depend on at risk. A 2% increase is the minimum necessary to help sustain our health service, and it remains far below the actual cost of delivering medicines and care to our residents.
Most importantly, I want to reassure everyone that no one will ever be turned away from receiving care because they cannot afford it. Strong, compassionate hardship provisions are in place to support anyone who needs them.”
Protecting Our Community and Supporting Those in Need
The Health and Social Care Portfolio recognises that any change, however small, can be stressful, particularly for residents, our elderly community, and families already working hard to manage daily expenses. We are fully committed to ensuring that no resident is left behind or without support:
- Anyone experiencing financial hardship can apply for a fee reduction or waiver through the Admissions Panel and Adult Support Team contactable at 25949.
- If prescription costs create genuine difficulty, cases can be referred for exceptional consideration to ensure necessary treatments remain available to you.
- Access to health and social care services will always be guided by clinical need, never by an individual’s financial situation.
- All existing safeguards remain fully in place, including free care for children under 16 years, and for young people aged 17–18 years in full-time education, and eligibility rules for resident rates.
#StHelena #HealthandSocialCare #Increaseincharges
St Helena Government (SHG) and Sure South Atlantic Limited (Sure) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking an important step towards a major upgrade of St Helena’s broadband and mobile networks.
SHG and Sure have been discussing the island’s longer-term future for communications for some time. Through 2025, detailed technical, commercial and legal talks took place with negotiations on a longer-term licence reaching an advanced stage in June 2025. Whilst agreement was not reached, work has continued looking at options for improving the domestic communications network.
The key development now is that SHG has secured funding to move forward with one of the more ambitious options identified during that process.
Funding is being brought together through the BIOT MoU and the United Kingdom Government-funded Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP) for St Helena. As part of accessing EDIP funding, the infrastructure project will be developed in accordance with EDIP standards, governance, assurance and approval processes.
The MoU is an important milestone, but significant work remains before network upgrades can begin, including completion of the required EDIP assurance and approval processes, detailed technical and commercial work, contractual arrangements, licensing and planning approvals. The MoU sets the framework, but the contractual details for the network upgrade and a new communications licence still need to be agreed.
The option now being progressed includes a new Fixed Wireless Access broadband service together with a significant upgrade of the island’s mobile network.
A key principle of the proposed arrangements is that new network assets purchased through the publicly funded project would remain SHG-owned assets, recognising the importance of telecommunications infrastructure as part of St Helena’s critical national infrastructure. It is intended that the new network assets will be operated and maintained by Sure and will then be transferred to SHG at the end of the licence term, ensuring the investment remains for the long-term benefit of St Helena.
If successfully taken through the remaining approval, contractual and implementation stages, the proposed network upgrade is expected to deliver a substantial improvement over the existing network, with the potential to increase network capability from around 20 Mbps today to upwards of 300 Mbps.
This will provide significant benefits for households, businesses and public services, including improved opportunities for remote working, better access to cloud-based services and online markets, and increased capacity for areas such as education and healthcare.
Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Planning and Economic Development, Karl Thrower, said:
“For several years I have said that our priority must be to maximise St Helena’s investment in the Equiano cable in the public interest. This has never just been about faster internet, or about who provides it; it is about ensuring that the people and businesses of St Helena receive the reliable, affordable and modern telecommunications services they need.
“The signing of this MoU is an important step forward and, importantly, it demonstrates our intention to move forward positively and constructively in partnership with Sure. But we also need to be clear about what today’s announcement represents. This is a significant milestone; it is not the end of the process.
“There is still a considerable amount of work ahead of us. The infrastructure project must now progress through the appropriate EDIP assurance and approval processes, detailed commercial and contractual work still has to be completed, and the future telecommunications licence remains a separate piece of work.
“We have learnt lessons from the journey that has brought us to this point, including the previous fibre network project. That makes it even more important that we proceed carefully, maintain proper governance and are open with the public about both the opportunities ahead and the work that remains to be done.
“The option we are now seeking to progress allows us to finally unlock much more of the potential of the fibre-optic cable. Better connectivity can support our businesses, education and healthcare, improve the resilience and efficiency of public services and open up entirely new economic opportunities for St Helena.
“Ultimately, however, the measure of success will not be the equipment we install or a headline broadband speed. It will be whether people across St Helena see better services, greater affordability and real improvements in their everyday lives. That is what SHG and Sure must now work together to deliver.”
Sure Chief Executive Alistair Beak said:
“We are incredibly proud to be continuing our long-standing partnership with the St Helena Government and to be entrusted with delivering this significant upgrade to the island’s telecommunications infrastructure. We have worked closely with SHG to develop the plans and secure the funding for this ambitious programme, which represents a major investment in St Helena’s digital future.
“This marks the beginning of a new era of connectivity for the island. The Equiano cable has brought enormous international capacity to St Helena; our focus now is on ensuring the community can fully realise its potential by building the high-quality, resilient network needed to connect homes, businesses and Government to it.
“Working with our local team on St Helena, we will deliver a new generation of broadband services offering speeds of hundreds of megabits, alongside a significantly enhanced mobile network and upgraded services for businesses and Government. Faster speeds, greater coverage and improved reliability will provide a significantly better experience for our customers and bring St Helena firmly into the modern digital age.
“Importantly, this is about much more than faster broadband. Better connectivity can create new opportunities for local businesses, support economic development and help enable the continued development of essential services such as education and healthcare. It will provide a digital platform from which St Helena can continue to develop for many years to come.
“We want to move quickly. A transformation of this scale will take time to deliver across the island, but our ambition is to begin deployment in early 2027 and for the first customers to start benefiting from the new network by the middle of the year. We look forward to working closely with SHG, our local team and the wider community to make that happen.”
The signing of the MoU enables SHG and Sure to progress the next stage of work on the proposed infrastructure project.
The current programme envisages implementation beginning 2027, with services being introduced progressively thereafter. These timings remain indicative and will be refined as the project progresses through the remaining approval and contracting stages.
The infrastructure project and the future telecommunications licensing arrangements are related but separate workstreams.
The MoU does not itself grant Sure a new communications licence. Future licensing arrangements will continue to be progressed separately under the Communications Ordinance 2025 and through the appropriate SHG legal, policy and regulatory processes.
SHG, Sure and the EDIP team will continue to work together on the infrastructure project, and further information will be provided as key approvals and milestones are reached.
#StHelena #Sure #Telecommunications
The St Helena Government (SHG) wishes to inform the public of the formal conclusion of the historic arrangement with Samaritans to provide emotional support services to the residents of St Helena.
This arrangement was originally established in 2015 following an inquiry into local services, enabling free calls from St Helena to be directed to Samaritans in the UK and Ireland.
Following recent public enquiries regarding the availability of this service, Samaritans has formally advised SHG that due to operational policy changes implemented over recent years, they are no longer able to maintain international support agreements.
Samaritans operates under a policy that limits its listening services exclusively to individuals located within the UK and Ireland. This policy is grounded in legal safeguarding requirements and the vital operational need for volunteers to be able to coordinate directly with local emergency services to safeguard callers in critical situations.
Calls from St Helena will no longer be answered by Samaritans branches. Anyone attempting to call the free helpline from St Helena will hear an automated message directing them to seek support services within their own jurisdiction.
SHG extends its gratitude to Samaritans for their historic partnership and support over the years.
The St Helena Government remains fully committed to supporting the emotional health and well-being of our community. We are actively exploring alternative support options for the island and want to reassure residents that dedicated local emotional support, social care, and health resources remain readily available to anyone in need through the Health and Social Care Portfolio.
The Mental Health Support Team can be contacted by telephone at:
- 22593 (during office hours)
- 22500 (for out-of-hours or urgent on-call support)
#StHelena #Samaritans #Support
The St Helena Government (SHG) will publish a discussion document, The Future of the Fishing Industry: Options for Policy, on 18 September 2026 to support consideration of the future direction of the island’s fishing industry.
The document sets out a range of policy options for consideration by the Minister and the public. It is important to note that no decisions have yet been made regarding which options, if any, will be recommended by the Minister. The paper is intended to inform discussion and consultation and does not make recommendations.
The publication marks the beginning of a public consultation period, which will run from 21 September 2026 to 23 October 2026. Copies of the document can also be found in the library and the post office.
SHG is encouraging all interested parties, including members of the fishing industry, businesses, community groups and the wider public, to review the document and provide their views on the options presented.
The document can be accessed online at: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/app/uploads/2026/09/Future-Of-The-Fishing-Industry-Options-For-Policy.pdf
You can participate in the consultation through any of the following options:
- Send your feedback and responses to fisheries.consultation@sainthelena.gov.sh.
- Attend one of three public meetings at The Museum at 19:00 on Thursdays: 24 September, 1 October, or 8 October 2026.
- Visit the stall outside The Canister every Thursday from 12:00 to 14:00 for four weeks, starting 24 September 2026.
- Reach Ann Muir at The Castle by calling 22470, emailing Ann.Muir@sainthelena.gov.sh, or visiting in person to arrange a meeting.
All responses received during the consultation period and referred to in the revised options for policy document will be confidential and referred to anonymously.
There is also a plain English public summary of the Situational Analysis of St Helena Fishing Industry which informed the options for policy at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/app/uploads/2026/08/FRSA-Public-Summary-260813.pdf and the full Situational Analysis document is available at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/Situational-Analysis-of-the-St-Helena-Fishing-Industry.pdf.
SHG welcomes public participation in this important consultation and looks forward to hearing your views on the future of the fishing industry.
#StHelena #FishingIndustry #PublicConsultation
Her Excellency the Governor, Belinda Lewis was sworn in this afternoon in front of the Court House in Jamestown. The Chief Secretary and Head of Public Service, Mr Ian Todd OBE, read the Royal Commission, before the Sheriff of St Helena, Mrs Ethel Yon OBE, administered the Oaths of Office and gave the Address of Welcome. The Chief Minister, Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks MBE, read a welcome address and spoke about welcoming Governor Belinda Lewis and her family to St Helena, celebrating the island’s community resilience, acknowledging key developmental opportunities alongside ongoing socioeconomic challenges, and emphasising the importance of a constructive partnership between St Helena and the UK. The Rt Rev, The Lord Bishop of St Helena, Dale Bowers MBE gave a prayer and blessing.
In her Inauguration Address, Her Excellency commented:
“It is a great honour to serve the people of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha on behalf of our Sovereign, His Majesty King Charles the Third. I can assure you that I will strive to discharge the responsibilities incumbent on me as Governor to the best of my ability (…) and serve you with diligence, integrity and respect.”
“I am looking forward to working closely and constructively with the Chief Minister and the elected Government in a strong spirit of partnership. St Helena has a long, proud history and a promising future: I want to celebrate this and am ready to play my part to advance the interests of the communities we are all here to serve.”
Governor’s Inauguration Speech
Photos
From left to right: Mrs Debbie Yon, HE the Governor Ms Belinda Lewis, and Major Anthony Galvin, USMC (Retd.).
The Chief Secretary and Head of Public Service, Ian Todd OBE, reading the Royal Commission
HE the Governor Belinda Lewis signing the Oaths of Office, administered by the Sheriff of St Helena, Mrs Ethel Yon OBE.
The Chief Minister, Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks MBE, welcoming HE the Governor Belinda Lewis and her family to St Helena.
Invited guests attending the inauguration ceremony.
HE the Governor Belinda Lewis being introduced to Guides from the St Helena Girl Guide Association
1st Jamestown Scouts marching
#StHelena #Governor #InaugurationCeremony
A meeting of Executive Council (ExCo) was held on 08 September 2026.
The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
CLOSED AGENDA
Declaration of Interest
Confirmation of Minutes of the Executive Council Meeting held on 28 July 2026
Matters Arising from Minutes of 28 July 2026
Tourism Strategy and Delivery Plan, 2026 – 2032 (ExCo Memo 34/2026)
Victims of Crime Compensation: Options for Policy (ExCo Memo 35/2026)
Terms of Reference for Children’s Champion (ExCo Memo 36/2026)
Recording of Decision(s) made by Email ExCo
Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Main Building Works – St Helena New Prison
(ExCo Memo 32/2026)
SHG and Sure Memorandum of Understanding – Delivery, Operation and
Future Development of Electronic Communications and Broadcasting on St Helena (ExCo Memo 33/2026)
Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2026 St Helena Government
Ministerial Updates on Significant Issues
Any Other Business
NB Items marked (*) are commercially sensitive and depending on the subject matter, might not be referred to in the top lines.
The following items were considered:
Declaration of Interest
The Chief Minister declared an interest in agenda item 5.
2 – 3. Confirmation of Minutes and Matters Arising from the Minutes from 28 July 2026.
Executive Council confirmed and signed off the minutes of the meeting held on 28 July 2026.
4. Tourism Strategy and Delivery Plan, 2026 – 2032 (ExCo Memo 34/2026)
Executive Council considered whether the Tourism Strategy and Delivery Plan 2026 to 2031, as presented should be approved and used as the framework for the delivery of the island’s Tourism Development Programme (TDP).
Members recognised that, after financial aid and remittances, the tourism industry is the largest contributor to the local economy and expressed support for the approach set out in the Strategy. Members commended the evidence-based approach used to inform the Strategy, noting that a key objective is to provide stability for the industry. It was also highlighted that successful delivery will require cross-sector involvement.
Executive Council supported and approved the Tourism Strategy and Delivery Plan, 2026 – 2032.
5. Victims of Crime Compensation: Options for Policy (ExCo Memo 35/2026)
(Due to a declared conflict of interest, the Chief Minister left the room for this agenda item)
Executive Council considered options for the development of a Victims’ Code of Practice and a proposal for a scheme whereby compensation awarded to offenders would be held in a protected trust account to protect the interests of victims.
Executive Council agreed that Options 2.1.2 and 2.1.3 should be taken forward for public consultation to seek the views of the public before any decision is made.
6. Terms of Reference for Children’s Champion (ExCo Memo 36/2026)
Executive Council was asked to consider and agree the revised Terms of Reference for the Children’s Champion as per Section 3(3) of Part II of the Welfare of Children Ordinance, 2010.
Members noted that the scope of the ToRs risked extending the Champion’s functions outside of the Welfare of Children Ordinance, 2010 (WoCO), noting in particular the proposed extension of the remit to young people up to the age of 25 years and blurring the distinction between strategic oversight and operational decision making. Members agreed that the revised Terms of Reference raised problematic issues requiring further consideration.
It was decided that the revised TORs should be referred back to the Safeguarding of Children Board, noting that it would an opportune time to review with the imminent arrival in post of the new Safeguarding Board Chair and Delivery Manager. Members agreed that the existing ToRs would remain in place until any revised version is agreed.
Executive Council therefore did not approve the revised ToRs and agreed that these should be referred to the Safeguarding in Children Board for further consideration.
Recording of Decision(s) made by Email ExCo
Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Main Building Works – St Helena New Prison (ExCo Memo 32/2026)
SHG and Sure Memorandum of Understanding – Delivery, Operation and Future Development of Electronic Communications and Broadcasting on St Helena (ExCo Memo 33/2026)
Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2026
Executive Council agreed with the decisions made for 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3.
Ministerial Updates on Significant Issues
8.1 Minister Thrower outlined next steps for SHG and Sure SA Ltd following the approval of the MOU reference in 7.2 above.
Any Other Business
Executive Council approved Minister Turner’s request for a Customs Exemption
for Chrome Books for Education.
As this was the final meeting of Executive Council during HE Governor Phillips’s
tenure, the Chief Minister thanked Governor Phillips for his support, advice, honesty, hard work, and dedicated service to St Helena. She also extended best wishes to Governor and Mrs Phillips for a long and happy retirement.
#StHelena #ExCo #Toplines
www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
St Helena has been named Emerging Family Destination at the Family Traveller Awards 2026, recognising the island as one of the destinations and travel services delivering outstanding experiences for families.
The island was shortlisted in two categories, Adventure Family Destination and Emerging Family Destination, highlighting St Helena’s growing appeal to families seeking unique experiences, outdoor adventure and an alternative to more traditional holiday destinations.
The recognition is a significant achievement for St Helena and reflects the island’s growing profile within the family travel market. From its spectacular landscapes and outdoor adventures to its rich history, wildlife and authentic experiences, St Helena offers families a breath of fresh air: the chance to explore, discover and create lasting memories in a destination unlike any other.
The award further reinforces St Helena’s position as an emerging family friendly destination and highlights its potential to appeal to families looking for meaningful, adventurous and memorable travel experiences beyond the traditional holiday offering.
Family Traveller and St Helena Government would like to thank everyone locally and internationally who took the time to vote for St Helena in the Family Traveller Awards 2026. The support received throughout the awards is greatly appreciated and highlights the growing interest in St Helena as an adventurous family destination.
Head of Tourism, Jonathan Passaportis, commented:
“We are delighted that St Helena has been recognised in the Family Traveller Awards 2026. This achievement is a testament to the hard work, commitment and passion of the many people across our tourism industry who work every day to create positive and memorable experiences for our visitors.
Our tourism businesses and their teams play an important role in making St Helena a safe, welcoming and distinctive destination for families, offering opportunities to explore, experience adventure and discover our unique natural, cultural and historic heritage.
We thank everyone across the industry for their continued commitment to delivering a high-quality visitor experience, and everyone who voted for and supported St Helena.”
Photos
SHG UK Representative, Kedell Worboys, and Rochelle Streater, CEO of Family Traveller
The Emerging Family Destination Award
#StHelena #EmergingFamilyDestination #FamilyTravellerAwards2026
The Economic Development Portfolio is driving a focused programme of work to strengthen St Helena’s economy, improve access, support enterprise and investment, and create the conditions for a more resilient, sustainable and locally driven future.
The portfolio’s work sits at the heart of Government’s wider strategy to stabilise the population, protect living standards and core services, and enable sustainable growth. Its responsibilities include strategic economic development policy, export, trade and investment, digital development, air and sea access, tourism, financial services and management of the crown estate.
The 2026/27 budget sets out a practical programme for growth. Tourism, financial services, digital connectivity, agriculture, enterprise support and capital investment are all being taken forward as part of a joined-up approach to broaden the economy and reduce reliance on a small number of sectors. The newly agreed three-year aid settlement with the UK Government gives St Helena greater certainty to plan ahead. At the same time, the Economic Development Investment Programme will support essential capital works over the next three years.
Tourism remains one of St Helena’s most important opportunities. Visitor arrivals have recovered strongly since the pandemic, reaching close to 2019 levels in 2024/25. The next phase of the Tourism Development Programme will focus on product development and infrastructure, marketing and promotion, staffing, training, upskilling, and institutional arrangements. The objective is to support 4% annual growth in arrivals and build capacity for an industry capable of welcoming 6,000 visitors a year by 2031. A dedicated £550,000 fund supports tourism activities, and £74,000 supports the visitor information service.
St Helena’s tourism offer is distinctive: walking and heritage trails, marine life, dark skies, biodiversity, history, culture and the island’s remoteness all support a high-value, low-volume visitor model. Recent work has supported upgrades and accreditation of key visitor assets, including Post Box walks and heritage sites. The portfolio will continue to work with partners and businesses to improve the visitor experience, strengthen accommodation and services, and ensure tourism growth benefits the wider community.
Improving access by air and sea is central to economic growth. Reliable transport links support visitors, residents, businesses, medical referrals, imports and supply chains. The portfolio is working across Government and with partners to strengthen resilience in access arrangements, learn from recent disruptions, and support long-term planning for aviation, shipping and logistics.
Digital development is opening new possibilities. The Equiano fibre optic cable has transformed St Helena’s connectivity, with improved data capacity and lower telecommunications costs for households and businesses. Better connectivity supports digital services, remote working, education, business development and investor confidence. Government is considering long-term options for public telecommunications beyond the current licence arrangements to provide stability for residents, businesses and potential investors.
Financial services and the Company Registry are being developed carefully and ethically. The St Helena Government has allocated £320,000 to the Financial Services and Company Registry Development Programme. This will make St Helena a better place to do business, improve consumer protection, reinforce governance standards, increase locally generated revenues and strengthen regulatory effectiveness. Work includes modernising the Company Registry, supporting banking services, aligning with international standards, strengthening anti-money laundering procedures, and developing a commercially viable offer for internationally active businesses. SHG has taken an ethical approach to developing financial services and will ensure that trusts are not misused for tax-evasion purposes. It will develop a Company Registry product for businesses with strong environmental, social and governance credentials.
Support for local enterprise and productive sectors is also being expanded. The budget includes funding for agricultural development, agriculture improvement interventions, and a grant scheme for enterprises. These measures are intended to help businesses invest, improve productivity, strengthen food security and create new opportunities for local enterprise.
Minister for Economic Development, Karl Thrower, said:
“Economic development isn’t about how many projects Government can announce or how much money we can say we are spending. The test is whether people can see the difference, whether businesses have more opportunities, whether it becomes easier to invest and do business, and ultimately whether more people feel they can build a future for themselves and their families on St Helena.
We have made significant progress over the past year, and I want to recognise the considerable amount of work that has gone into that. My team and colleagues across Government have worked extremely hard to move a number of important areas forward, often while dealing with limited resources and some very difficult challenges. We should be proud of what has been achieved, but we also need to be realistic: there is still a great deal of work ahead of us, and many of the changes we are trying to make will take time before their full benefits are felt.
Government cannot achieve economic growth on its own. Our responsibility is to get the fundamentals right: reliable air and sea access, better connectivity, affordable and increasingly renewable energy, appropriate infrastructure, sensible regulation and practical support for the private sector. Moving towards renewable energy is particularly important because it can reduce our exposure to imported fuel costs, improve our resilience and, over time, help create a more competitive environment for households and businesses.
None of these things sits neatly within one portfolio. Economic development has to be a whole-of-Government effort, with portfolios working together rather than in isolation. The days of silo thinking have to be behind us. Decisions on energy, infrastructure, planning, education, housing, health, access, and the environment all affect our economy, and we will achieve far more if we look at these issues together rather than separately.
There isn’t one project or one industry that is going to solve all of St Helena’s economic challenges. We have to continue the good work already under way, build on the gains we have made, and keep pushing forward across a number of areas at the same time. Just as importantly, we have to be prepared to measure whether what we are doing is actually delivering the results we expect.”
Economic Development Budget Infographic
#StHelena #Budget26-27 #EconomicDevelopment
The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio has today published the combined findings from St Helena’s first comprehensive survey into children and young people’s internet and social media use, bringing together responses from 225 young people aged 8–18 across primary and secondary schools.
Over the past two weeks, findings from the primary and secondary school surveys have been published separately. Bringing the results together provides a broader picture of children’s digital lives across the 8–18 age range.
The survey shows that digital technology is now a routine part of childhood. Almost every child has access to the internet at home, while smartphones are an increasingly important way of accessing the online world. YouTube is the most popular platform, followed by TikTok, Snapchat and WhatsApp, with Instagram also featuring among older young people.
The results also show that many young people are already aware that excessive social media use can affect their wellbeing. Across the survey, children and young people identified tiredness, lack of sleep, reduced concentration, lower school performance and changes in mood among the impacts they associate with excessive social media use.
At the same time, the findings highlight areas where continued awareness, guidance and support are needed.
Across the combined 8–18 age group:
- 14% reported experiencing cyberbullying.
- 40% had been contacted, or may have been contacted, by strangers online.
- 37% spend 16 or more hours each week on social media.
- Nearly half use mobile data outside the home, meaning parental controls based only on home Wi-Fi may not provide complete protection.
Online gaming is also significant, with some young people spending considerable amounts of time gaming and interacting with strangers through games.
Children and young people are telling us what they need
The findings show that many young people recognise the challenges of spending excessive amounts of time online and identify parents, carers, friends, siblings and other trusted adults as people they would turn to if something online worried or made them uncomfortable. This provides an important foundation for continued work.
The survey is not intended to tell parents how to raise their children, nor does it suggest that technology or smartphones are inherently harmful. Instead, it provides St Helena with a shared understanding of how young people are using technology and the issues families, schools and the wider community may need to consider.
The Digital Literacy and Boundaries Group was established in response to these concerns and brings together representatives from education, safeguarding, health, policing, Youth Parliament and other community partners. The Group’s aim is to understand children’s digital lives, consider the evidence and identify ways to support children and families to use technology positively and safely.
Children’s Champion and member of the Safeguarding Board, Cllr Julie Thomas, said:
“The findings from this survey provide us with an invaluable, clear picture of our children’s digital lives, but they must also serve as an urgent call to action. As Children’s Champion and a member of the Safeguarding Board, my absolute priority is ensuring that our young people are kept safe online at all costs. We are not looking to strip technology away from our youth, but rather to empower our community with the awareness and education needed to establish healthy boundaries.
By equipping parents, guardians, and the children themselves with the right knowledge, we can collectively make informed, cautious choices about device usage and connectivity. Protecting our children in this fast-evolving digital space requires a shared commitment, and we must ensure every decision we take is guided by a proactive dedication to their safety, well-being, and protection.”
Continuing the conversation
The findings come at a time when communities internationally are considering how best to help children navigate an increasingly digital world.
The focus is not on removing young people from technology, but on helping them develop the knowledge, confidence and boundaries they need to benefit from it safely and positively.
Parents and carers, young people, schools, health professionals, police and safeguarding partners, politicians and policymakers all have a role to play in supporting digital safety.
The survey also provides an opportunity for families to keep asking simple but important questions about what children use their devices for, how much time they spend online and who they are interacting with.
The survey has given St Helena something many communities do not have: a clearer picture of how our children and young people are experiencing the digital world.
The opportunity now is to use that information to shape what comes next.
To view the results of the survey, please click the link at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/app/uploads/2026/09/Children-Young-Peoples-Social-Media-Use-Findings-All-Schools-Final.pdf
#StHelena #OnlineSafety #AltogetherBetterfortheSafetyofChildrenandYoungPeople
His Excellency Governor Nigel Phillips CBE will end his term of office on Friday, 11 September 2026.
As is customary on St Helena, His Excellency the Governor will make himself available in the Governor’s Office to bid members of the public farewell.
Accordingly, Governor Phillips will be available in the Governor’s Office, the Castle, Jamestown, from 10:00 to 11:00 this Friday, 11 September 2026, to receive members of the public and bid farewell to those who wish to attend.
#StHelena #HEGovernor #Farewell
