Why a Mobile Phone Ban Could Make School Harder for Young Carers
The debate about phones in schools is often framed around distraction, behaviour and wellbeing. However, for some pupils, the issue is more complicated. For many young carers, phone access during the school day is not about scrolling. It is about reassurance, safety and staying connected to home.
This matters because Amendment 215 to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill was passed in the House of Lords on 3 February 2026. The amendment would require schools in England to have a policy banning the use and possession of smartphones during the school day within 12 months of the Act being passed. As of mid-March 2026, the wider bill is still moving through Parliament.
Without clear exemptions, a mobile phone ban in schools could leave some young carers facing an unfair choice:
stay in school but worry all day about what is happening at home
break the rules to check on a parent or relative
miss school altogether because the anxiety feels too high
That matters even more because young carers already miss an average of 23 days of school a year, which is more than a month of learning.
Why young carers may need flexibility
For a young carer, a phone can be a lifeline. It may be the only quick way to check on a parent after a fall. It may also be how they get an update after a hospital appointment, or know whether they need to help when they get home.
So, while a school may see a phone as a distraction, a young carer may see it as the thing that helps them get through the day. In some cases, that connection may be what makes school attendance feel possible at all. This is why Carers Trust has warned that a blanket ban without clear exemptions could make support for young carers in schools worse, not better.
What the guidance says
Current Department for Education guidance says schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default and expects policies that prohibit phone use throughout the school day. However, it also says schools must still meet their wider legal duties and should consider exceptional circumstances for specific pupils on a case-by-case basis.
Earlier government wording, reproduced in sector guidance, also said schools should allow flexibility where a pupil’s need for phone access depends on their individual circumstances at home, and that this could be reflected in policies such as a young carers policy.
That difference matters. A general ban is one thing. A ban without enough room for discretion is another.
When rules do not reflect real life
Young carers already carry responsibilities that many of their classmates do not see. They may be helping with medication, emotional support, supervision or practical care before and after school. Because of that, rigid rules can hit them differently.
If a young carer cannot check on home when they need to, the result may not be better concentration. Instead, it may be more stress, less focus and lower attendance. It may also mean sanctions for behaviour that is really a response to caring pressure.
Schools are usually at their best when they can respond with both structure and understanding. That is especially true for young carers.
Why this matters now
Education policy should improve wellbeing. However, that only happens when policy reflects real life. For young carers, staying connected is not always optional. Sometimes it is part of how they manage caring and learning at the same time.
That is why this conversation matters. A sensible school phone policy can reduce distraction for most pupils. At the same time, it should still leave space for clear, fair and compassionate exemptions where they are needed. For young carers, that kind of flexibility could make the difference between coping at school and falling behind.