CBS News has shone an international spotlight on Greystones after featuring local schools' pioneering efforts to protect children from the harmful effects of smartphones and social media. The report focused on the town's "It Takes a Village" initiative, which encourages parents to delay giving children smartphones and promotes healthier alternatives to screen time.

Greystones has found itself in the international spotlight after US television giant CBS News recently travelled to the County Wicklow town to report on a pioneering local effort to delay smartphone use among children.

The US news network featured Greystones and nearby St Patrick's National School in a prominent report examining how the Wicklow community is attempting to raise children without smartphones until they reach secondary school age.

In a report broadcast across the United States, CBS described Greystones as one of Ireland's most affluent and scenic coastal towns, but noted that it has become known for something else in recent years — a community-wide movement aimed at giving children "their childhood back."

The initiative, called "It Takes a Village", was spearheaded by Rachel Harper, principal of St Patrick's National School in Greystones.

Harper told CBS she became concerned after noticing rising anxiety levels among pupils following the return to in-person schooling after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I noticed an increase in anxiety levels in my school," she said.

Greystones survey raised alarm

A community survey involving educators across Greystones drew around 800 responses, with 95% of teachers reporting heightened anxiety among children.

That prompted local parents, schools and community groups to work together on a voluntary agreement delaying smartphone ownership until children reach secondary school.

Many parents told CBS the collective nature of the agreement made it easier to hold the line.

"For me, it gave me the strength and the power I needed to say, 'No, you're not having this app,'" said Greystones mother Alex Dobbs.

What CBS found in Greystones

At a local youth café in Greystones, CBS News asked a room of 11- and 12-year-olds whether they owned smartphones. Not a single child raised a hand.

Students told the US broadcaster they spent more time talking with friends, playing outside and participating in community activities instead of being glued to screens.

One 12-year-old told CBS: "I feel like you should just be playing outside."

The Greystones initiative is now in its third year and has expanded beyond simply delaying smartphone ownership. Older students aged 15 and 16 now mentor younger children on how to use phones and social media responsibly when the time comes.

Local secondary schools have also introduced systems where phones are locked away during the school day, with teachers reporting improved concentration and parents reporting better sleep among teenagers.

International attention

The CBS feature places Greystones at the centre of a growing international debate about children, smartphones and social media.

What began as a local Wicklow school initiative has now attracted global media attention, with one of America's biggest news organisations presenting Greystones as a possible model for other communities around the world.