Screen use in childhood and adolescence remains a significant concern for families and is increasingly recognised as a public health issue. Despite the existence of guidelines, most children and young people exceed recommended screen time limits. Parents often identify screen use as a central parenting challenge, yet face substantial barriers in implementing healthy practices.
This presentation will explore the nature of the problem from both parent and youth perspectives, highlighting the importance of collaborative practice in addressing screen use. A conceptual model will be introduced that links parenting behaviours and the socioecological environment to children’s screen habits, emphasising the role of interdisciplinary collaboration across health, education, and community sectors.
Through a collaborative lens, the presentation will examine systems that influence family screen practices and outline strategies for assessing and addressing screen use within family and community contexts. Evidence-based parenting interventions will be discussed, with a focus on how collaborative efforts, between families, schools and communities, can enhance support and promote healthy digital behaviours. The session will conclude with actionable recommendations for fostering collaborative partnerships that empower parents in guiding their children’s digital development.
Prof Alina Morawska is Director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland. She is passionate about creating a world where children develop the skills, competencies and confidence to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. Her research focuses on the central role of parents in influencing all aspects of children’s development, and parenting interventions as a way of understanding healthy development, a means for promoting positive family relationships, and a tool for the prevention and early intervention in lifelong health and wellbeing. She has published extensively in the field of parenting and family intervention and has received numerous grants to support her research. She has been recognised as Australia’s top scholar in family studies.
