How much time should your child spend on a screen? Are they being harmed? Are some at higher risk than others? How should technology be used at school?

The research power of every university in NSW, combined with institutions from around Australia and the world, is now focussed on getting the answers to these questions.

The NSW Government has announced the recipients of its pioneering $2.5 million Screen Use and Addiction Research Fund, to help parents, students and schools make informed decisions about their children's screen time.

In one groundbreaking collaboration, every university in NSW will combine to investigate how technology can best be used at school, so students can thrive and succeed.

Other teams will work with Australian and international researchers to determine a safe level of screen use, so parents and young people can set informed boundaries.

The research will explore the effects of screen time on toddlers through to teenagers, including on their learning, mental health, wellbeing and sleep.

For the first time, mental health data and NAPLAN results will be analysed with screen use data from the Black Dog Institute’s study of 5,500 NSW adolescents.

This will build an understanding of when recreational screen use becomes problematic, who is most at risk, and why.

The research teams are expected to deliver their findings at the end of 2026. Three PhD candidates have also been awarded scholarships to explore issues relating to screen use.

The combined research effort will be administered and supported by the NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE).

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car, said many parents were concerned about the effects of smart phones and other digital devices on their children’s learning.

“We still don’t know enough about how this new technology impacts our children,” Ms Car said.

“That is why we committed to establishing this fund – to build up a body of reliable facts and research for families.

“This research can be used to inform evidence-based policies that benefit students for years to come.”

NSW Department of Education Secretary, Murat Dizdar, said equitable access to technology was a vital part of our Plan for Public Education.

“We need to know it is being used in the best interests of our students, schools and communities.,” Mr Dizdar said.

“This research will provide the evidence we need to make the best decisions for the close to 800,000 students we have the privilege of serving in public education.”

CESE Executive Director, Policy and Evidence, Jennifer Buckingham, said countries all over the world were grappling with these questions.

“The studies funded though this grant will provide essential evidence to guide education systems, schools and parents in NSW and beyond to make decisions about the appropriate use of screen-based technologies,” Dr Buckingham said.

Read more about the recipients of the NSW Government Screen Use and Addiction Fund Grants.