Children ‘becoming more isolated’

Best-selling author Michael Morpurgo has warned that children are becoming more isolated because of overuse of social media.

The former Children’s Laureate and War Horse writer is raising money for his charity, which puts young people on farms to “milk, dig potatoes and help with hay-making”.

Morpurgo, 73, said that children’s “experience of life” was often limited to technology, whether it is “phones or iPads”.

“The misuse of this technology is allowing this to become such a strong culture of communication that children forget about talking to people,” he told the Press Association.

“They get on social media just like that, in their bedrooms, and that can be very isolating.”

Morpurgo, who is best known for his children’s novels, many of which have been adapted into films, said that “used properly” new technology can have extraordinary benefits.

But he warned: “A lot of children are suffering from too much isolation. Incidences of depression and mental illness are increasing.

“Isolation is the main culprit when it comes to mental illness and it is not helped by social media.”

His warning comes after Childline reported that more children are growing up feeling lonely.

The award-winning author said that parents should limit children’s time on mobile phones and tablet computers.