Speaking on the government’s newly released guidance, which says children under the age of five should be limited to one hour of screen-time per day, Bruce is clear that there is no simple answer to better childhood wellbeing.
“Both as a father of small children and CEO of a families-focused charity, I of course applaud that the government is looking into issues like this, and that they are interested in what leads to enhanced or reduced wellbeing in youngsters.
“Having said that, we cannot focus only on restrictions, metrics and measurement, and forget the very complicated circumstances which exist for many families living across our region, and the rest of the country.
“Our evidence at Ormiston Families, seen through the many hundreds of families we help, shows greater support is needed, beyond just rules and restriction.”
The new guidelines constitute the first evidence-based practical advice to be issued on this subject. They also demonstrate that children under 2 should not be left for screen time alone, suggesting time-limited, shared screen-based activities that foster bonding and deeper relationships. The guidelines also suggest that all content should be slower-paced and that rapid-fire, social media style videos should be avoided for young children.
However, Bruce argues that it shouldn’t be regarded as a quick wellbeing fix and that real world issues are far more complex than the guidelines suggest.
He continued: “We all recognise that devices and social media play a role in our lives. It’s easy to be judgmental about behaviours adopted in any household, but people have incredibly busy worlds where there are many competing priorities.
“The key is obtaining balance about parental decisions which ensure our child’s wellbeing is always at the forefront of our minds. However, there are many families for whom those decisions aren’t as easy, because of circumstance and lack of support.
“We see families all the time, managing to get by, but only by balancing their own emotions against immediate practical needs and financial challenges. Issuing them with a guideline won’t be an isolated quick fix for them.”
He added: “A child’s wellbeing isn’t shaped by one factor alone. It’s shaped by relationships, stability, confidence, and the environment they’re growing up in.
“It’s shaped by how supported their family feels, and whether they have someone they trust to turn to. That’s why early intervention is at the core of our work – providing that support which allows everyone to benefit.”
Between 2024 and 2025, Ormiston Families supported over 4,800 families, serving young people, parents and family networks across Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire, through a number of programmes and projects which focus on early intervention as a way of helping children thrive.
Whilst this new guidance is helpful, and is directly relevant to recent conversations about restricting social media access for children under 16, it is only one part of the wider wellbeing story for UK families.
Therefore, Ormiston Families remains committed to our goal of helping more families across the East of England feel happier, safer and more resilient.