From stringent legislation to grassroots action, Australia and Spain lead the way in tackling children’s use of mobile phones and tablets

If the advent of the affordable mobile phone has given parents a new way to stay in touch with their ­children, it has also prompted countless arguments about screen time, safety and social media.

As concerns over phone use grow – and the age at which children get their first mobile continues to fall – countries around the world are weighing up how to tackle the issue in schools and at home.