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
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