In The Anxious Generation, author Jonathan Haidt argues that the challenges confronting children and families are solvable. However, he emphasises that addressing these challenges requires understanding the traps society has fallen into, in order to identify the escape routes.

Haidt outlines four key escape routes: delaying smartphones until high school, delaying social media until age 16, implementing phone-free schools, and promoting greater independence and real-world play. While the solutions are simple, he acknowledges that the work is difficult—and that it becomes easier when communities act together.

In this talk, Haidt shares the research underpinning his book, offering both inspiration and practical strategies to help school leaders, parents, and communities create meaningful change in the lives of young people.