Kids & Tech Questions

The Kids & Tech Questions project aims to understand what are the most important questions that children aged 2 to 11 years, their families and educators have about digital technology and young children.

The project will include:

two surveys with families and educators, to provide uncertainties and rank their importance
discussions with primary school aged children about their ideas and concerns
checking the research literature to verify which questions have been adequately addressed by previous research
a final workshop to create a top priorities list

Through this, we will create a top list of priority questions to share with researchers and funders.

Three children sitting on a sofa playing on individual screens. One looks very excited.

Claudia Bickford-Smith

Claudia has extensive experience in education: learning design, edtech, qualification and assessment development, and school management. Her interest lies in working with teachers to develop a framework for evaluating AI-driven educational content to enhance teaching and learning, based on children’s needs, taking into account diverse backgrounds and educational contexts.

Cliff Manning

Cliff has over two decades of experience in developing digital services that enable connection and learning. Currently, he is the R&D Director at Parent Zone, where his work centers on improving outcomes for children in the digital age by enhancing parenting support. Additionally, he founded More Than Robots, a platform for sharing research around youth digital equity.

Tom Pinfield

Tom has been working in education and online safety for 17 years. He was a secondary school teacher and is now Assistant Education Manager at Childnet. He delivers education sessions, creates resources and oversees the Childnet Youth Advisory Board. He is also a parent.

Florence Ackland

Flo is a Senior Subject Specialist at the PSHE Association: the national body for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Since joining the PSHE Association, she has worked with a range of organisations, from the NSPCC, to the Guardian, to The Alan Turing institute, developing materials that support schools to deliver highly effective, safe PSHE education.

Colette Collins-Walsh

Colette is Head of UK Affairs at 5Rights which advocates for the consideration of children’s rights and needs in the design and deployment of digital products and services. 5Rights work is informed by the UN General Comment No. 25 and they carry out extensive engagement with children and young people in the UK to understand their experiences and views. In addition to her work with young people at 5Rights, Colette has a background in politics and government working in education and children’s policy.

Sally Smith

Sally is CEO of Peeple, a charity that supports parents to help their babies and young children to learn through everyday activities, routines and play. Peeple develop early interventions, deliver services in Oxford and, nationally, train practitioners to use their Programmes, including our flagship, Peep Learning Together Programme.

Naomi Preston

With over a decade of experience in the Financial Services industry, Naomi is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by profession. Lately, she has been balancing this challenging career with the equally dynamic and rewarding role of raising her energetic two-year-old. She joins our committee to represent the voice of parents.

Michael Freeston

Michael has worked for the Early Years Alliance for over 20 years. He leads on workforce development, early years learning and development and partnership work. He represents the Alliance on a range of policy and research advisory boards including on early brain development and neuroscience, nutrition in the early years and digital literacy.

Chris Wellings

Chris is Director of Impact at Thrive at Five. Previously, he worked for the National Children’s Bureau as Deputy Director of the Lambeth Early Action Partnership, and for Save the Children UK as Head of Children’s Communities and Head of Policy.

Kids & Tech Questions

Digital Technology and Young Children Priority Setting Partnership

Take part!

Our steering commitee

Steering committee members