Based in Birmingham, I have witnessed and felt the increasing dangers faced by children in our community. Disturbing reality of children being hurt, bullied, or sadly, even murdered, has become virtually unimaginable. These children deserve the right to walk alone and feel safe in their surroundings, and a crucial part of that can be the reassurance of having a phone. This is purely for their safety, even if the phone is stored securely during the school day.

A 2019 study showed that 31% of school-going children have reported being bullied, a percentage that is alarmingly high and undeniably concerning. Moreover, Birmingham sees one of the highest rates of child-related crime cases in the country, as reported by the UK's Office for National Statistics. A phone can act as the immediate lifeline, a way to connect to parents, guardians or emergency services if they feel threatened, alarmed, or intimidated.

Whether it's contacting parents during an emergency or using a location-sharing app to ensure safe transit, the benefit these devices can provide significantly outweighs the potential distraction they cause. Therefore, we call upon the educational institutions and governing bodies to revise the policy and make it mandatory for secondary schools to let the pupils carry a mobile phone for safety purposes. Please, add your support and sign this petition today.