New report calls for action to improve children's digital wellbeing
- Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children highlight significant gaps in the guidance, skills, and safeguards needed to help children navigate the online world safely.
- Vodafone Foundation’s ‘Skills Upload Junior’ programme will expand to deliver a Europe-wide digital wellbeing initiative for children aged 9 to 16.
New research from Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children has highlighted the urgent need for more coordinated, inclusive and evidence-based approaches to improve children’s digital wellbeing across Europe.
Published today, their new report - Click, Scroll, Connect - and Balance - takes expert evidence and examines the issues surrounding digital wellbeing for children, making proactive recommendations for both public and private stakeholders. The report has mapped out an interconnected series of issues that collectively are undermining children's digital wellbeing for across Europe.
Key Observations:
- Digital stress and mental health impacts: In Romania, 50% of children reported being called offensive names online, and 26% had trouble sleeping after an online incident. Across OECD countries, 17% of 15-year-olds feel anxious without their devices, and 10% report problematic social media use - with higher rates (14%) among children from migrant backgrounds.
- Gaps in education systems: Many children lack understanding of how their data is used, and teachers report insufficient training to address digital risks. Only 51% of 15-year-olds can easily change privacy settings, and 28% do not compare sources when searching online.
- Disproportionate risks for marginalised groups: LGBTQIA+ youth, children with disabilities, and those from low-income or rural backgrounds face compounded risks online, including identity-based harassment, exclusion, and misinformation. These groups are often overlooked in national strategies.
- Emerging harms outpacing regulation: AI-generated child sexual abuse material is growing rapidly, with over 20,000 images found on a single dark web forum in one month. Deepfake incidents targeting children have increased by 550% since 2019.
- Fragmented regulatory implementation: Despite strong EU-level frameworks like the GDPR and DSA, enforcement varies widely. For example, exposure to hate messages ranges from 4% of 12-16-year-olds in Germany to 48% in Poland. In Spain, 44% of children report rarely encountering kindness online.
The study combined desk research and qualitative key informant interviews to explore and provide a holistic understanding of the current state of digital wellbeing for children across Europe.
Children’s voices were integrated into the desk review through secondary data from specific child-focused research studies to provide valuable context and help ground the analysis in children’s lived experiences. Furthermore, to ensure the report is accessible for all, a child-friendly version of the report has been developed and translated into several languages.
Moazzam Malik, CEO at Save the Children UK said:“No matter their background, every child deserves the access, skills and confidence to navigate and thrive online. As technology continues to advance, digital life is increasingly becoming real life. We must embed wellbeing into all the places children spend their time. We need to move beyond one-off fixes towards a joined up regulatory system which prioritises safety and inclusion.”
Lisa Felton, Director, Vodafone Foundation said: “Digital wellbeing is a shared responsibility, shaped by the public and private sectors, and by the environments where children live, learn and connect. Every child deserves the skills, support and safeguards to thrive online, no matter where they live. That’s why Vodafone Foundation is expanding its Skills Upload Junior programme into a Europe-wide initiative for children aged 9 to 16, helping embed digital wellbeing into classrooms, communities and homes.”
Measures to improve children’s digital wellbeing
The report identifies proactive improvements that can be taken by stakeholders to improve child digital wellbeing, including:
- Embed digital wellbeing into education: Equipping educators with the tools to teach digital safety, resilience, and empathy, and adopting whole-school approaches that integrate wellbeing into school cultures, policies, and daily routines.
- Increase child participation: Children should be actively involved in shaping the digital policies, programmes, and tools that affect them.
- Promote equity and Inclusion: Strategies must be inclusive and responsive to the needs of all children, particularly those who face greater risks online, such as girls, LGBTQIA+ youth, children with disabilities, and those from low-income or rural communities.
- Strengthen evidence and evaluation: Governments and organisations should invest in research and develop robust systems to monitor and evaluate the impact of digital wellbeing initiatives.
- Align national policy and governance: National strategies should be aligned with international standards. Governments must also strengthen enforcement and ensure that digital platforms are held accountable for protecting children’s rights and wellbeing.
Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children Partnership
One of the key steps already underway is the Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children’s partnership, launched in February. This groundbreaking collaboration brings together Vodafone Foundation’s proven expertise in inclusive digital education with Save the Children’s leadership in child protection, wellbeing, and rights.
Together, they are rolling out a new Europe-wide programme for children aged 9 to 16, focused on building digital skills and resilience to support children’s wellbeing in an increasingly connected world.
Vodafone Foundation ‘Skills Upload Junior’ to focus on digital wellbeing
Click, Scroll, Connect - and Balance recommends Save the Children’s SMILE digital framework (Security, Management, Identity, Literacy, Empathy) as a practical tool for educators, policymakers, and families.
- These findings are already shaping the next phase of Vodafone Foundation’s Skills Upload Junior, which has reached over 10 million children in the past five years. Starting this September across eight European markets, the programme will expand to include new modules on digital wellbeing, resilience, and empathy – all aligned with the SMILE framework.
- Lesson plans addressing online risks such as cyberbullying, misinformation, and addictive design, while promoting healthy digital habits and emotional regulation.
- Practical tools and training for educators to embed digital wellbeing into everyday teaching.
- Inclusive content tailored to reflect the experiences of children from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities and underserved communities.
Learn more about the partnership between Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children on our dedicated SUJ website which hosts the full report, the executive summary and a child friendly version of the new report.
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