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| Under-10s 'allowed mobile phones' | Under-10s 'allowed mobile phones' |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| One in four parents in Wales would allow their son or daughter to have a mobile telephone by the age of 10 or under, a survey suggests. | One in four parents in Wales would allow their son or daughter to have a mobile telephone by the age of 10 or under, a survey suggests. |
| A Beaufort Omnibus poll for BBC Wales asked at what age children should have their first mobile phone. | A Beaufort Omnibus poll for BBC Wales asked at what age children should have their first mobile phone. |
| A total of 23% of parents said they would let a child under 10 have a mobile, with 42% saying 11 or under. | A total of 23% of parents said they would let a child under 10 have a mobile, with 42% saying 11 or under. |
| Suzie Hayman from Parentline Plus said some under-10s having a mobile was a "positively good thing". | Suzie Hayman from Parentline Plus said some under-10s having a mobile was a "positively good thing". |
| In the poll, which sampled 1,002 people between 6-15 March 2009, a fifth of parents (19%) indicated that 11 is the right age to have one's first mobile phone. | In the poll, which sampled 1,002 people between 6-15 March 2009, a fifth of parents (19%) indicated that 11 is the right age to have one's first mobile phone. |
| Another 18% considered 12 the right age, suggesting that 60% of parents in Wales are prepared to equip a child with a mobile phone by the end of their first year in secondary school (Year 7). | Another 18% considered 12 the right age, suggesting that 60% of parents in Wales are prepared to equip a child with a mobile phone by the end of their first year in secondary school (Year 7). |
| At what age should children have their first mobile phone? Children at primary school have absolutely no need for a mobile phone. They should be spending their time there learning how to spell correctly, add up correctly and read correctly - skills sadly lacking in this generation. A mobile phone at too young an age is nothing more than a distraction and as some others have already pointed out, a very expensive toy J S Mitchell, London | |
| One in 10 parents (11%) said children should be aged 16 or over before they have their first mobile phone. | One in 10 parents (11%) said children should be aged 16 or over before they have their first mobile phone. |
| Cheryl Wheldon, president of head teachers' union NAHT Cymru, said the results of the survey reflected her experience as head teacher at Coedffranc primary school in Neath. | Cheryl Wheldon, president of head teachers' union NAHT Cymru, said the results of the survey reflected her experience as head teacher at Coedffranc primary school in Neath. |
| "I think these figures are right," she said. "The majority of the children in the 7-11-year-old group here have got a mobile phone, or access to one." | "I think these figures are right," she said. "The majority of the children in the 7-11-year-old group here have got a mobile phone, or access to one." |
| Ms Wheldon explained that her school had experienced "some issues arising from bullying through text messages". | Ms Wheldon explained that her school had experienced "some issues arising from bullying through text messages". |
| There are lots of ways in which a parents can set down guidelines for their children Suzie Hayman, Parentline Plus | There are lots of ways in which a parents can set down guidelines for their children Suzie Hayman, Parentline Plus |
| "Eighteen months ago we had a nasty incident with 10-11-year-olds texting each other quite nastily after school. | "Eighteen months ago we had a nasty incident with 10-11-year-olds texting each other quite nastily after school. |
| "It was quite a difficult issue to address. I spoke to the pupils and their parents and it was only through their help that I could deal with it." | "It was quite a difficult issue to address. I spoke to the pupils and their parents and it was only through their help that I could deal with it." |
| For this and other reasons, she explained, Coedffranc has banned pupils from bringing in mobiles. | For this and other reasons, she explained, Coedffranc has banned pupils from bringing in mobiles. |
| "The policy at our school is that they should not bring them in. The issues are theft, misplacement, damage and, more to the point, it's a question of mobile phones going off in the middle of a lesson," she said. | "The policy at our school is that they should not bring them in. The issues are theft, misplacement, damage and, more to the point, it's a question of mobile phones going off in the middle of a lesson," she said. |
| "Young children having a mobile is a good thing and a bad thing. Safety does come into it. | "Young children having a mobile is a good thing and a bad thing. Safety does come into it. |
| "If I was the parent of a 10-year-old I might consider buying them a mobile phone so that I could get hold of them. At the end of the day it comes down to reasonable use." | "If I was the parent of a 10-year-old I might consider buying them a mobile phone so that I could get hold of them. At the end of the day it comes down to reasonable use." |
| BBC Wales asks at what age a child should have a mobile phone | |
| Ms Hayman said her organisation gets "a lot of calls from parents" on the subject of children having mobile phones. | Ms Hayman said her organisation gets "a lot of calls from parents" on the subject of children having mobile phones. |
| "It's generally considered appropriate for a child to have a mobile at secondary school level," she said. | "It's generally considered appropriate for a child to have a mobile at secondary school level," she said. |
| "Young people are slightly more independent at that age, and have to stay for after-school clubs and so on. Parents want to know they have a link to them." | "Young people are slightly more independent at that age, and have to stay for after-school clubs and so on. Parents want to know they have a link to them." |
| However, Ms Hayman added that she would encourage children in divided families to have a mobile phone at a younger age. | However, Ms Hayman added that she would encourage children in divided families to have a mobile phone at a younger age. |
| She said: "If a child's father, for example, does not live with the family, then having a mobile can allow the child to regulate when they get to speak to him, and that is a positively good thing; very much so with children under 10. | She said: "If a child's father, for example, does not live with the family, then having a mobile can allow the child to regulate when they get to speak to him, and that is a positively good thing; very much so with children under 10. |
| "Clearly there are issues about being mugged, running up enormous phone bills and cyber-bullying, but what we do is help parents manage these issues rather than just banning the use of a mobile phone. | "Clearly there are issues about being mugged, running up enormous phone bills and cyber-bullying, but what we do is help parents manage these issues rather than just banning the use of a mobile phone. |
| "There are lots of ways in which a parents can set down guidelines for their children." | "There are lots of ways in which a parents can set down guidelines for their children." |