These under 18 phone plans aim to make safer connections

Allowing your children to have a phone is a huge dilemma for parents. Phones allow you to keep in touch when they are away from home, but they present so many dangers, from scams and adult content to cyberbullying. More under-18s than ever now have them, though, with even those as young as 11 regularly using a handset.

EE's P.H.O.N.E Contract and Safer SIMs plans are designed to make giving your child access to a phone less stressful, by helping inform them about online safety and introducing plans with limitations – especially for younger children.

Teaming up with Konnie Huq and the EE Youth Council, the P.H.O.N.E contract as an agreement between parents and children. The name is an acronym that stands for Prepare (to start the conversation), Highlight (online dangers), Own (visibility of what you say online), Negotiate (setting the rules), and Establish (how you talk about phone use).

All of this has been made available in a free app from EE, and is also on its website under P.H.O.N.E Chat by EE.

Safer SIMS are specially designed contracts for kids of different ages, providing varying levels of freedom. The Protected Plan is for younger children with strict parental controls and heavy limits. The Guided Plan is for younger teenagers, with moderate parental controls and a little more data, while the Trusted Plan is for older teenagers with more data available.

These pay monthly plans start from £7 a month for the Protected Plan, up to £15 for the Trusted Plan, all with a one-month rolling contract. The Guided Plan is also available as Pay as you go, for £9 a month.