DFC Annual Research Insights Day

Programme

Join us for the DFC Research Insights Day, a full-day hybrid event showcasing new research and evidence about children’s digital lives. The day brings together scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and young people to discuss what we know, what’s changing, and what’s next.

We will focus on children’s rights in the digital environment, as they relate to the rapid adoption of education technologies, online risks, resilience and mental health, and the real-world impacts of digital regulation. The day is designed to spark critical dialogue, cross-sector learning, and future collaboration grounded in children’s lived experiences.

10:00–10:30 | Arrival & Coffee

10:30–11:30 | Morning Session 1: Children’s Rights and the Digital Environment: General comment No. 25 - 5 years on

Panel: Beeban Kidron (House of Lords), Eva Lievens (Ghent University), Kim R. Sylwander (LSE)
Chair: Sonia Livingstone (LSE)

Session description:
Five years since the publication of UNCRC General Comment No. 25, we take stock of its influence on policy, regulation, advocacy, and research globally. Drawing on legal, policy, and civil society perspectives, the panel will reflect on what has changed for children online, where implementation has succeeded or stalled, and how children’s rights frameworks are shaping the next phase of digital governance.

11:30 - 11:45 Comfort break

11:45–12:45 | Morning Session 2: A Better EdTech Future for Children: Learning, Rights, and AI

Panel: Sandra El Gemayel (LSE), Ayca Atabey (University of Edinburgh), Kasia Suliga (teacher), Amelie (5Rights Global Youth Ambassador)

Session description:

This session examines how educational technologies (EdTech), including AI tools, are shaping children’s learning experiences and rights. Bringing together research, policy, and lived perspectives, the panel will discuss equity, design, and governance in EdTech systems, highlighting best practices and rights-based approaches. Through engagement with children, educators, and civil society, the discussion will explore ways to create more inclusive, transparent, and accountable digital learning environments and stimulate public debate on the future of digital education.

12:45–13:45 | Lunch (provided)

13:45–14:30 | Afternoon Session 1: Designing New Research on Children’s Digital Lives, Mental Health and Resilience

Speakers:
Kasia Kostyrka-Allchorne (Queen Mary University of London)
ORChiD – Online Risks and Resilience in Children’s Daily Lives

Damon De Ionno (Revealing Reality)
DigiPulse – Real-time Ecological Momentary Assessment of children’s smartphone engagement and mental health

Chair: Mariya Stoilova

Session description:

This session introduces emerging insights from new research projects that use real-time and child-centred methodologies to explore the relationship between children’s digital engagement, mental health, and resilience. Looking beyond simplistic narratives of screen time, the speakers outline how these studies aim to capture the ways online interactions, risks, and opportunities are embedded in children’s everyday lives and emotional experiences. The session looks ahead to how this work can deepen understanding of how mental health impacts are shaped by context, timing, and individual differences, while advancing innovative methods and frameworks for future research, policy, and practice.

14:30–15:15 | Afternoon Session 2: From Policy to Practice: Regulating Platforms to Benefit Children’s Digital Lives

Presentation & conversation: Steve Wood (PrivacyX Consulting), Beckett LeClair (5Rights), Jasmina Byrne (former Chief of Foresight and Policy, UNICEF)

Chair: Beeban Kidron

Session description:
Building on earlier work on the Impact of Regulation on Children’s Digital Lives, this session examines how recent regulatory and technological developments are shaping children’s online experiences. Combining academic research and civil society perspectives, the discussion explores what regulation is achieving in practice - and where gaps remain between policy intent and children’s lived realities.

The session will start with a brief presentation by Steve Wood, followed by a panel discussion.

15:15–16:00 | Wrap-up by Sonia Livingstone, Reflections & Coffee

Closing reflections: Key insights from across the day. Emerging research and policy priorities. Opportunities for collaboration across research, policy, and practice