As Jamie Oliver admits he uses an app to locate his teen daughters, Lisa Salmon looks into tracking apps for children

ALL parents worry about their kids. But does that make it alright to 'spy' on them? Increasing numbers of parents are using GPS tracking apps on their phones so they can always tell exactly where their children are. Chef Jamie Oliver has admitted to using one of the apps, Life360, to keep an eye on the eldest of his five children, saying it's a 'brilliant' way to check where daughters Poppy Honey, 16, and Daisy Boo, 15, are.

Jeremy Todd, chief executive of the parenting charity Family Lives (familylives.org.uk), says his organisation is concerned about a parent feeling the need to track a young person, pointing out that they should instead be talking about any concerns with their child, establishing how they might be addressed, and discussing what a child might do if something went wrong while they were out.

"We're concerned that there's a false sense of safety - just because a parent knows where a child is, doesn't mean the child's safe or that the concerns a parent has about their child's wellbeing have been addressed," he warns. "We don't want it to be something that prevents parents talking to their children about being streetwise. Parents need to allow their children to grow up to be independent, and there's a sense that this has the potential to prevent that happening in a healthy and natural way."

So what are the pros and cons of using such technology?

ADVANTAGES

Peace of mind for parents: Sten Kirkbak, co-founder of the tracking watch phone XPLORA (myxplora.co.uk) says the main benefit of tracking a child, for the parent, is instant peace of mind. "For example, parents no longer need to ring their child continuously, thus causing them to feel embarrassed, or interrupting their play and exploration. Location tracking can also ease unnecessary worry if a child doesn't answer the phone straight away."

Gives kids more freedom: Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington has said she installed a tracking app on her 12-year-old son Joe's phone, pointing out it gives him more freedom because knowing where he is means she's more relaxed about -letting him go further afield.

Reassurance for children: Location tracking can also be reassuring for the child, particularly if they get lost. This is especially useful if a child wanders off in a crowded place, says Kirkbak

"Knowing their parents can locate them at any given moment can alleviate the immediate sense of panic a child feels when they realise they're lost."

DISADVANTAGES

Kids may become more secretive: Young people may respond to being tracked by becoming increasingly secretive and flouting the surveillance by, for example, leaving their phone at a friend's house so their parents think they're there.

They don't become streetwise: Young people run the risk of not learning to be independent and safe on their own.

Internet and social media access: Children need a smartphone for their parents to install a tracking app, but this can expose them to the potential dangers associated with social media and the internet such as cyberbullying, inappropriate contact with strangers and unsupervised access to inappropriate information.

Trust issues: If they're being tracked, young people may feel their parents think they can't be trusted. By contrast, if they feel they are trusted, such responsibility can help them behave in a trustworthy manner.