Recognised by Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, as a decision that will “define childhood”, the UK’s new under-16 social media ban has been welcomed by many as a long-overdue step towards protecting children online. However, for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), the picture is more complicated. The restrictions, set to take effect in Spring 2027, may well reduce exposure to online harm. However, they could also strip away something many children with SEND depend on: social connection, inclusion and a sense of belonging which isn’t always easy to find offline. Is the ban protecting young people with SEND, or is it creating new challenges? This blog explores both sides of the debate.
The NSPCC has been sounding the alarm for a while now about what children are encountering online, including harmful content, cyberbullying, exploitation and strangers trying to make contact. Platforms have had years to get this right and largely, haven’t. This leaves children vulnerable to abuse and other negative impacts upon their wellbeing. I saw this first-hand in my previous role as a primary school SENDCo. Online safety isn’t solely an issue for secondary school, it affects children far younger than most people would expect. Over the years, I dealt with cases involving online bullying, children encountering inappropriate content, and in some instances, being contacted by strangers online. Experiences like these reflect a wider pattern across many schools, prompting growing numbers of them to review their mobile phone policies and rethink their approach to online safety more broadly. Screen time presents a further challenge. Many children find it genuinely difficult to disengage from their devices, and this has a noticeable impact on their concentration in lessons, sleep patterns, emotional wellbeing and friendships. Considering the difficulties facing children, families, and schools, it is easy to understand why calls for stronger action have grown louder. The government’s decision to strengthen protection for young people online reflects what many professionals working with children have long recognised: the digital world needs to be a safer place for them.
While concerns about children’s online safety are completely valid, it’s important to recognise that social media isn’t all bad. For children with SEND in particular, it can actually open doors that aren’t always easy to open in everyday life. Firstly, for many young people with SEND, talking online feels less daunting than a face-to-face conversation which can make communication easier. There’s no body language to decode, no eye contact to maintain and no pressure to respond instantly. For neurodivergent children especially, removing that pressure can ease social anxiety and, over time, may help them build real confidence in how they communicate. Social media also allows children with SEND to connect with others who share their experiences or interests. These online friendships can become a genuine source of support. Furthermore, learning to navigate online communities, manage digital relationships and make sensible choices is an important part of growing up and helps to build independence. For some children with SEND, screen time also plays an important regulatory role; offering a predictable, low-demand activity that can help them wind down, manage anxiety or recover from sensory overwhelm when the world around them feels like too much. These reasons outline why any restrictions on social media use are far from straightforward.
For all the genuine benefits social media can offer, there’s a strong case that a ban could positively impact children with SEND, especially as many of the risks discussed earlier tend to affect them more acutely than their peers. Children with SEND can find it harder to spot insincere intentions online or to question what they see, leaving them more exposed at an age when they may not yet have the tools to navigate these risks safely. Moving away from fast-paced, attention-grabbing platforms could also ease sensory and emotional overload for children who already struggle to regulate their emotions, with additional benefits for sleep, concentration and mood. From what I saw as a SENDCo, online issues rarely stayed online – they often spilled into school as safeguarding or wellbeing concerns. A ban could help reduce this overspill, giving children the space to feel safe and settled in school without the weight of online social issues following them into the classroom. Additionally, children may have more time for face-to-face interaction, sports, outdoor play and hobbies that support development in ways that screens can’t replicate. While this isn’t the full picture, for some children with SEND, what they gain by stepping back may matter more than what they give up.
A ban is a blunt tool for a complex problem. While a ban may reduce certain risks, it could also create new problems for children with SEND and their families. For children who use social media to communicate, regulate their emotions or connect with others, taking that away could leave a real gap and risk increasing isolation. For children who struggle to make friends locally, online communities can bring a rare sense of belonging. Without it, some may feel a real loss. A blanket ban treats all children with SEND as the same, when their needs vary hugely. It also doesn’t address why many children turn to social media in the first place: perhaps isolation, anxiety or a lack of support offline, which won’t disappear just because the access does. However, given how often the risks outweigh the benefits for this group, and how poorly platforms have managed to protect them so far, a ban feels like a necessary starting point rather than a complete answer. What matters now is what comes alongside it: stronger digital literacy education, better offline support, and safer alternatives for children who relied on these spaces to communicate, connect or regulate their emotions. The goal shouldn’t just be removing access, but making sure nothing important is lost in the process.
Whether the ban protects or disadvantages children with SEND will likely depend less on the legislation itself, but more on what comes after it. Removing social media addresses the symptom, not necessarily the cause - for many children, especially those with SEND, the loneliness and lack of accessible support that can often drive them to seek connection online in the first place. If schools, families and services use this as a moment to build better offline alternatives, the ban could genuinely improve outcomes for children with SEND. If it is treated as a finished solution, we risk simply moving the problem somewhere harder to see.
NSPCC: Online safety and online abuse guidance
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the social media ban for under 16s
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/statement-from-the-childrens-commissioner-on-the-social-media-ban-for-under-16s/
Press release: Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-media-to-be-banned-for-under-16s-in-landmark-government-move-to-givekids-their-childhood-back
Science Direct: Using social media to be ‘social’: Perceptions of social media benefits and risk by autistic young people, and parents
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891422221002304
PMC: Online social media poses opportunities and risks in autistic youth: implications for services from a qualitative study
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10348421/
The SEN Expert offers a range of services for young people, families and schools. We offer support for parents to help navigate the complex world of Special Educational Needs. We will work with you closely to ensure the best for your child.
The SEN Expert was set up by Claire in 2021 following a successful career spanning 12 years in school improvement, special educational needs, safeguarding and the arts.
Claire has worked as a Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, Consultant and SENCO in both state and private schools in inner city London, the Southwest, the Midlands and the USA.
Throughout her career, Claire has ensured solid outcomes for the young people she has worked with. Be that a set of good exam grades, a placement in specialist setting or getting a part time job.
Claire is a working mother, and understands the challenges parents face trying to ensure their children are happy and successful. We aim to provide young people with a creative route to the personal and professional adult life they deserve.
We offer support for families, children, and schools to navigate the complex world of SEN.
Check out our full list of services at our website www.thesenexpert.co.uk or follow us on Instagram @senexpert for daily advice on special educational needs.