The rise in recreational screen use is undoubtedly a major factor crowding out children’s time to read for pleasure and affecting their attention spans, starting in the very earliest years with babies and young children spending time on devices instead of engaging with books. Parents’ and carers’ use of screens also set early expectations for children of how adults spend their own time. Our concurrent work on screen time and social media use has highlighted the severe risks associated with screen use. It is welcome that the government is finally taking action on this important area, but reform is long overdue and the negative effects of screen use will take time to reverse. (Conclusion, Paragraph 23) 87