A significant new research project has been launched to investigate what experts describe as a major 'blind spot' concerning the amount of time babies spend in front of screens.
Major Research Aims to Fill Evidence Gap
Academics from the universities of Leeds, Nottingham, Aston, and Leeds Trinity are set to assess the impact of screen usage on the youngest members of society. The study, announced on Monday 29 December 2025, is being funded by the 1001 Critical Days Foundation, a charity established by former health minister Dame Andrea Leadsom.
Will Quince, the charity's newly appointed chief executive and a former education and health minister, highlighted the issue. "We know anecdotally that even newborn babies are exposed to screens," he stated. "As education minister, I saw first-hand how often babies are overlooked – there is a real, baby blind-spot."
He emphasised that while public debate focuses on young people, social media, and phone bans in schools, babies are increasingly exposed. "Some babies are now spending more than four hours a day in front of screens," Quince revealed.
Potential Long-Term Impacts and Global Context
Experts warn that early childhood development should be driven by interaction with adults and the physical world. There are concerns that excessive screen time in infancy could lead to longer-term issues with attention, communication, and problem-solving skills.
The situation appears to be a global concern. Research suggests three in 10 babies in Japan are exposed to four hours or more of screen time daily, indicating a widespread pattern of behaviour.
Quince stressed that the study's purpose is not to shame parents but to provide vital evidence. "It's about having the evidence needed to break the baby blind-spot and give parents and carers the information they need to help give their baby the best start in life," he explained.
Official Health Guidelines on Screen Use
Current guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is clear for the very young. It recommends that children under the age of one should not use screens at all.
For infants under one, the WHO states that sedentary time should be spent engaging in interactive activities like reading and storytelling. It also recommends they be physically active several times daily and should not be restrained in pushchairs, prams, or highchairs for more than one hour at a time.
For slightly older children, aged one to two years, the advice is that screen time should not exceed one hour per day, with the organisation noting that "less is better".
The forthcoming UK study aims to build upon these guidelines with robust, contemporary evidence specifically focused on the baby demographic, a group the researchers argue has been absent from the centre of the screen time conversation.
