Almost all (95%) parents are having open and honest conversations with their children about device use, yet 65% still worry more about screen time during the school holidays. To help, Vodafone and Digital Awareness UK share 30 digital challenges – plus practical advice – to help families stay safe this summer.
- With the summer holidays in full swing, new research from Vodafone finds that children will spend up to four hours a day of unstructured time online during the summer break – a 42% increase compared to term time.
- While many children use devices to keep in touch with school friends (40%) and pass time during long journeys (24%), three quarters (75%) of parents say they are concerned about longer-term impact of increased screen time.
- Top concerns about device use include the possible negative impact on sleep 29%) and mental health (28%), as well as the risk of seeing harmful content (26%).
- Vodafone has partnered with Digital Awareness UK to highlight the online risks children could face this summer, alongside helpful advice for parents on how to set a healthy, digital routine.
- Vodafone’s Secure Net offers the UK’s best set of parental controls of any major UK network* and, later this summer, will become the UK’s first major provider to let parents seamlessly manage controls both in and out of the home, in one place.
A new report by Vodafone has revealed young people aged eight to 17 will spend more unstructured time online during the summer holidays, totalling four hours per day – a 42% increase compared to term time.
Keeping in touch with school friends (40%), fewer scheduled activities (37%) and long journeys (24%) are some reasons device use naturally rises during the school break. And, while additional screen time can be a helpful way to stay connected and entertained, many parents (80%) say they still worry about how to keep their family protected online over the summer.
Helping families navigate 30 common digital risks during the school holidays
With the school summer holidays in full swing, family routines are shifting. For many, that can naturally lead to more screen time. In fact, Vodafone UK’s latest research reveals a 42% increase in unstructured online time during the holidays compared to term time.
The report, which comes as Vodafone announces major improvements to its digital safety service – Secure Net – later this summer, uncovered that the majority of parents (65%) are concerned about their child’s device use during the school holidays.
Many are thinking about how to support their child’s wellbeing, with common concerns including: extra time spent playing online games (33%); screen time potentially affecting their sleep or mental health (28%); and seeing harmful content (26%). A quarter (25%) also worry their children may become less interested in playing outside.
As routines relax and bedtimes shift during the holidays, unstructured screen time – where children use digital devices without a specific educational or creative goal – is set to increase. With this, three quarters (75%) of parents are also thinking about the longer-term impact it could have, such as developing unhealthy screen habits (52%) or future mental health effects (45%).
The study found that almost all parents (95%) are already having open and honest conversations with their children about online safety, with a further third (34%) looking for more advice and support specifically to help keep their kids safe over the holidays. To help parents navigate this and set healthy digital habits for the whole family, Vodafone has teamed up with Digital Awareness UK to identify the possible challenges, while offering practical advice.
Screen time and your family: a guide to what works and what doesn’t
From time limits to age-appropriate tech curfews, we look at research and expert advice to help you set the right limits for parents and children alike.
Emma Robertson, CEO, Digital Awareness UK, said: “We know that the summer holidays can be a challenging time for parents and carers trying to keep their children entertained, and screens often feel like an easy solution to reach for during trips abroad, family outings and days at home.
“This can’t always be avoided but, without structure, it can lead to greater exposure to online harms, mental health effects and unhealthy tech habits that are difficult to undo. This research clearly shows that quality over quantity matters, and setting boundaries with screen time that work for your family is essential.
The start of the summer is a great opportunity to set expectations with your children and kick-start conversations about how to have a healthy relationship with tech, while enjoying using it safely and responsibly.
When digging into what parents would find most useful to maintain a healthy digital routine with their children, half (50%) said they’d feel even more comfortable if they had greater protection across devices both at home and when their kids are out and about. Meanwhile, for 37% of parents, more convenient tools to help control device usage is top of the wish list.
Later this summer, Vodafone will make it even easier for families to stay safe online and set healthy digital habits with a major upgrade to Secure Net – its existing digital security service – by bringing together its current mobile and broadband protection into one easy-to-use experience. In doing so, Vodafone will become the first UK network to offer parents the tools they need to protect their children both at home and on the go, all in one place.
Existing Secure Net Home and Mobile customers – including those who join before the new upgrades – will be automatically switched to the new version of Secure Net at no additional cost**, retaining the same leading features with the added benefit of use across both Vodafone’s mobile network and WiFi connections seamlessly. Features include:
Focus Time
Helping kids stay on task by limiting access to distractions like social media, while still allowing essential browsing.
Pause the Internet
Lets parents instantly disconnect devices when it’s time to take a break.
Bedtime Mode
Ensures devices switch off when it’s time to wind down.
Customisable Content Filters
Allow parents to tailor what their children can access online.
While having devices handy during the long summer holidays has multiple benefits, such as for homework purposes and keeping in touch with friends, many parents (73%) wish their child would use the summer break to disconnect from their devices more, with over half of parents (53%) looking for their child would disconnect at bedtime specifically.
Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, VodafoneThree, said: “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to how we build healthy digital habits at home. While many families are already having open conversations about online safety, our research shows a clear desire for more guidance and better tools.
“That’s why we’re committed to putting the best technology and advice in parents’ hands – to help them keep their families safe and confident online. Unstructured screen time tends to naturally rise during the summer holidays, so we’ve teamed up with Digital Awareness UK to offer practical, parent-friendly guidance.
“Combined with our Secure Net service — which offers the most comprehensive parental controls of any major UK network — families can feel more confident navigating the digital world together and enjoy a safer, more balanced summer break”.
Vodafone and Digital Awareness UK have produced a helpful guide to help parents identify the increased risks over the summer and how best to navigate them. For more information on Vodafone’s Secure Net app, visit: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/data-features/securenet
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Notes to editors:
* Vodafone’s Secure Net offers the largest range of parental controls features across mobile and broadband compared with other major providers as of 9 July 2025.
** The upgraded Secure Net experience will be available to all Secure Net customers – new and existing – at no additional cost beyond their current plan:
- Secure Net Home: Built-in to Pro broadband plans at no extra cost.
- Secure Net Mobile: Three-month free trial, then £1.30 a month. Cancel anytime.
Research methodology
Research conducted by 3Gem across 1,500 adult parents and carers of children aged 8-17 years old between the 15th to 18th July 2025.
