Extending Mobile Phone Bans to Schools: A Call for Consistent Child Safeguarding

As national reforms tighten mobile phone use in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings across Australia, educators are asking, "Why not apply similar protections in primary and secondary schools?"

Effective September 2025, educators in early childhood settings must:

Store personal phones securely during contact hours.
Avoid all phone use while supervising or engaging with children.
Disable notifications on smartwatches with messaging or recording functions.
Use only service-approved devices for photography, with written parental consent.

These reforms aim to strengthen professional boundaries and reduce risks associated with unsupervised device use.

Educators and sector advocates have raised concerns about inconsistent safeguards across educational settings. As one commenter noted, “Has anyone asked why this is only the early childhood sector? Why not primary and high school also if the intent is to protect all children?”

Key arguments for extending the ban include:

Universal child protection: Risks related to inappropriate device use, distraction, or misconduct are not limited to early childhood environments.
Professional consistency: Uniform policies across sectors reinforce shared standards of care and accountability.
Digital boundaries: In both classrooms and playgrounds, limiting personal device access helps maintain focus and reduces potential breaches of privacy or trust.

Some educators have flagged practical concerns, such as the use of phones to control hearing aids or respond to emergencies. These considerations highlight the need for:

Clear exemptions for medical or accessibility needs
Secure, service-managed alternatives for communication and documentation
Consultation with school staff and families to tailor implementation

Do Any Schools In Australia Have Phone Bans For Teachers

Yes, some schools in Australia do restrict mobile phone use for teachers, though policies vary widely by state, sector, and individual school.

Early Childhood Sector: National reforms introduced in 2025 explicitly ban educators from using personal phones during contact hours. Phones must be stored securely, and smartwatches must have notifications disabled. These rules apply across all early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings.
Primary and Secondary Schools:
While most Australian states have implemented student phone bans, there is no universal policy banning phones for teachers. However:
- Individual schools—especially in Catholic and independent sectors—may enforce internal staff codes of conduct that limit phone use during teaching hours.
- South Australia’s public schools, for example, include smartwatches and personal devices in their student bans, but teacher restrictions are left to school discretion.
- Queensland and Victoria have strong student bans, but teacher phone use is typically governed by professional standards and local school policies.

If extended to schools, mobile phone bans would require: