The Case for Waiting: Rethinking Smartphones and Young Teens

Date: May 5th at 6pm to 7pm

Venue: Skerries Town Library

Places are limited but we will do our best to accommodate as many as we can. 

Parents today are navigating something entirely new. Smartphones, social media, and constant online access have become a modern rite of passage, often introduced at the transition to secondary school. But emerging research is telling us something important: this may be too much, too soon for young developing brains.

In this talk, Dr. Claire Conlon, Clinical Psychologist and founder of The Caterpillar Clinic, will explore what the science tells us about the impact of smartphones, social media, and online access on children and young teens.

Drawing on both research and nearly two decades of clinical experience supporting young people with anxiety, low mood, and emotional regulation, Claire will share what she is seeing first-hand in practice and why many families are beginning to reconsider the timing of smartphone introduction.

This is not about fear or judgement. It is about understanding.

Together, we will explore:

• What is happening in the developing brain during early adolescence
• How smartphones and social media interact with anxiety, sleep, attention, and self-esteem
• Why the transition to secondary school may not be the right time for a smartphone
• The power of a community approach in reducing pressure on families
• Practical alternatives to smartphones that still support safety and connection

This talk will offer parents both clarity and confidence, helping them to make informed decisions and feel supported in taking a different path.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Claire Conlon is a Clinical Psychologist with nearly two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, and families across Ireland and the UK. She has extensive experience supporting young people with anxiety, low mood, emotional regulation challenges, and neurodevelopmental differences.

She is the founder of The Caterpillar Clinic, a psychology-led service based in North County Dublin, providing neuroaffirmative, strengths-based, and trauma-informed support to families.

Through her clinical work, Claire has seen a significant shift in the challenges facing young people, with increasing links between emotional wellbeing and the rise of smartphone and social media use. She is passionate about equipping parents with the knowledge and confidence to support their children in a rapidly changing digital world.

Claire is also the creator of a range of accessible online programmes supporting parents and young people, and writes a weekly email, The Cocoon, offering practical, science-informed guidance to families.

Secure your spot below. 

Places are limited but we will do our best to accommodate as many as we can.