What about tracking?

THE SAFETY ILLUSION.

Many parents track their children via their smartphones for peace of mind, despite there being no evidence (that we can find) to suggest tracking keeps children safer (if you have any, please let us know!)

The fact that smartphones and tracking devices can be turned off or discarded means they should not be relied upon and are no substitute for teaching children what to do in an emergency eg self-defence, seeking help, calling the emergency services.

CONVENIENCE... AT WHAT COST?

Some parents also track their children for convenience, perhaps unaware of the unintended consequences tracking may have for children developing independence, autonomy and resilience.

There are also ethical questions about a child's right to privacy.

These are wider conversations, which we need to start having as parents, caregivers, teachers, school leaders and policy-makers.

Meanwhile, here are available solutions for parents who wish to track their children:

- APPLE AIRTAG and GALAXY SMARTTAG : these Apple/ Galaxy devices emit a Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices (the range is approximately 30 feet) in Apple's Find My network or Samsung's SmartThings Find network. The device that detects the bluetooth signal uploads the AirTag or SmartTag's location to the cloud allowing the parent to view it in the Find My/ SmartThings Find app.

Because they rely on the presence of other devices AirTags and SmartTags are not effective in rural settings.

Apple and Samsung are also clear that they were not intended to track people, only possessions.

- GPS trackers: Global Positioning System trackers such as Tracki and SafeTag use a network of satellites or cellular networks to share location with a server or the parent's device. They cost in the region of £20 and require a monthly subscription of £5-£20 depending on whether you pre-pay.