Stephanie Milford is a registered psychologist, educator, and mixed-methods researcher whose work focuses on digital parenting, parent self-efficacy, and the sociocultural influences shaping family technology use. Stephanie’s doctoral research at Edith Cowan University investigated the ecological and psychological factors influencing parents’ mediation of digital technology. Her work contributes to national and international discourse on how families engage with digital technologies and the types of support parents need to navigate these challenges. Stephanie has published in journals including Human Behaviour and Emerging Technologies and the Journal of Child and Computer Interaction.

Stephanie works within the Curtin University and Edith Cowan University nodes. She collaborates on interdisciplinary projects that centre the experience of families, particularly in the early years, and works closely with educators, clinicians, and researchers to inform policy and practice. Her current research investigates how digital tools and parenting apps contribute to cognitive load and shape caregiving practices, a key role in a DigiTech policy Delphi project, and a Spare Parts Puppet digital creativity collaboration. She is committed to translational research that supports children’s wellbeing and empowers parents in their role as first educators in a digital world.

Earliest digital memory

Receiving a PlayStation 1 for Christmas in the late 1990s to share with my sister is one of my earliest digital memories. We were only allowed to play it during the school holidays, and only after we had finished our chores. That experience instilled an early understanding that digital technology was a privilege to be balanced with daily responsibilities.