EE Launches Free Online Safety ‘Parents’ Evenings’ in Stores Across the UK
Parents looking for a little help with smartphones, social media and keeping their children safer online can now book a free face-to-face session at EE stores across the UK.
As children head back to school, smartphones are once again becoming part of the conversation around screen time, social media and online safety.
EE has now launched what it calls its ‘Parents’ Evening’ sessions, giving parents and carers the chance to sit down with a trained member of staff and go through some of the settings and controls available on their child's devices.
Importantly, the appointments are free and are focused on practical support rather than simply selling parents another product.
What happens during an EE Parents’ Evening?
The sessions last around 30 minutes and are designed to give parents one-to-one help with some of the areas of smartphone ownership that can sometimes feel confusing.
According to EE, this can include help with:
- setting up parental controls;
- reviewing privacy and safety settings within apps;
- understanding smartphone safety features;
- managing children's access to online content;
- discussing social media use and screen time; and
- asking questions about online safety in a face-to-face setting.
Why is EE doing this now?
The launch follows new research commissioned by EE looking at how smartphones and social media are affecting families and schools.
EE says 93% of secondary school children are expected to return to school with a smartphone. Its research also found that 87% of the secondary school teachers surveyed said they had seen concentration spans shorten in recent years.
Meanwhile, 72% of the young people questioned said smartphones or social media had resulted in arguments with their parents during the summer.
Another interesting figure is that 55% of parents surveyed said the speed at which technology is changing can feel overwhelming.
That probably won't come as a huge surprise. Parental controls are increasingly spread across phones, individual apps, broadband routers, operating systems and social media platforms. Even someone who is reasonably confident with technology can find themselves digging through several different settings menus.
It isn't simply about limiting screen time
Online safety can sometimes become a conversation entirely about how many hours children spend looking at a screen.
In reality, there is quite a bit more to it.
Privacy settings, who can contact a child, location sharing, in-app purchases, inappropriate content and what information is shared publicly are all worth checking.
A child could spend relatively little time using a particular app and still encounter something unsuitable, so understanding the controls available can be just as useful as setting time limits.
Parents can also download a free ‘homework sheet’
Alongside the in-store appointments, EE has worked with headteacher and Educating Yorkshire contributor Matthew Burton and teachers from around the country on a short online safety exercise for parents.
The idea is to encourage families to talk about smartphone use and establish some basic rules around devices rather than relying entirely on technical restrictions.
EE also provides a downloadable P.H.O.N.E. Contract which families can use to agree their own approach to responsible device use.
There are bigger changes coming to social media in the UK
The timing is also particularly relevant because the UK Government is preparing significant new restrictions around children's access to social media.
Under plans announced in June 2026, social media companies will be prevented from offering covered social media services to children under 16.
The Government currently expects the first restrictions to come into force in spring 2027, although the detailed regulations still need to complete the parliamentary process.
Nothing suddenly changes for children using social media today. The Government says parents and children do not currently need to take any action, with further information expected before the new rules are introduced in 2027.
Do you need to be an EE customer?
EE describes the sessions as free appointments for parents and families and says they can be booked through its stores.
If you're interested in attending, it is worth checking availability with your local store when booking, particularly as appointments may vary depending on location.
How do you book an appointment?
Appointments can be booked online using the EE store finder, by contacting a store or by visiting an EE shop.
You can find your nearest location and check appointment availability on the EE Store Finder.
Our take
This feels like one of those ideas that could actually be useful, particularly for parents who don't necessarily want to spend an evening searching through guides explaining dozens of different privacy and parental control menus.
Smartphones aren't going anywhere, and neither are the conversations around how children use them.
Giving parents somewhere they can ask basic questions without needing to understand all the technical jargon first is therefore a sensible idea.
The important part is remembering that no parental control is a complete solution. Settings can help, but talking openly about what children are doing online and making sure they feel comfortable asking for help remains just as important.
Sources: EE Newsroom, 30 August 2026, and UK Government guidance on upcoming social media restrictions. The Tech Blog UK is an independent technology website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by EE or BT Group.
