Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna Ghey, a British 16 year old who was murdered in a premeditated attack by fellow pupils from her school, has, this week, launched a campaign to ban phones in schools . Today, the call has been backed by Mandy Carlson, CEO of Base71, a new state of the art youth centre coming to Barnsley.

This follows guidance that was issued in 2024 by the government that schools should develop a mobile phone policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day. This campaign takes that a step further banning phones from schools completely, removing the onus on the school to develop the policy. The campaign has been backed by actors, Kate Winslett and Stephen Graham. The latter, of which, created and appeared in the Netflix drama, Adolescence, which follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for murdering a classmate.

Brianna was, herself, described as being addicted to her phone while her attackers are believed to have been radicalised on the dark web.

The dangers of being online are clear. The NSPCC1 reported that 19% of children, aged 10-15-years-old, exchange messages with someone online who they never met before and over 9,000 child sexual abuse offences involved an online element in 2022/23. Meanwhile, research from Youth Empowerment Fund2 found 70% of teenagers see real-life violence on social media.

Base71, forms part of the OnSide Network of Youth Zones. OnSide, the national youth charity behind Youth Zones, recently met with Esther Ghey to discuss her campaign and is now an official supporter, backing her calls to government to ban phones in schools.

OnSide’s own research of 5,200 young people in England aged 11-18, conducted in partnership with YouGov, found 76% of young people spend most of their free time on screens, yet 52% of those that spend most of their time on their smartphone would like to reduce this.

Mandy Carlson, CEO of Base71, said: “Protecting young people from the dangers online is incredibly complex, yet this has never been more pertinent. Research shows that a shocking number of sexual abuse offences affecting a young person involve an online element. On top of this, 70% of teenagers see real-life violence on social media.

“Speaking to the young people who are volunteering their time to help bring our new Youth Zone, Base71, to life, they do want to find ways to limit screen use and build in-person connections.

“In schools, where attendance is compulsory, banning smartphones can be an effective way to increase engagement among pupils. The House of Commons Committee’s own research found that, following a ban of mobile phones in schools, student test scores improved by 6.41%3.

“But implementing phone bans is not the only answer. This must go alongside investment in genuine alternatives that engage young people and mean they naturally choose to put their phones down.

“Schools, youth centres, and communities all have a role to play in creating these opportunities. At Base71, we are developing a space in collaboration with our young people that will provide over 20 different activities that truly engage young people in a safe environment. Not only will this help young people make friends and develop meaningful ‘in real life’ connections, they will also gain experiences that build confidence and skills for adulthood.

“By combining measures to reduce smartphone use in schools with investment in spaces outside of school, we can ensure young people have the opportunities and support they need to thrive in real life.”

To find out more about the new Base71 Youth Zone which will be opening in Barnsley in early 2026, visit: https://www.onsideyouthzones.org/youth-zones/barnsley-youth-zone/