Apple’s new iOS 27 parental controls give families more ways to scaffold an iPhone as children grow, including Ask to Browse, contact approvals, Time Allowances, customizable schedules, expanded Communication Safety, and a redesigned Screen Time. But do these tools make an iPhone “child safe”? Not quite. We unpack what’s new, what parents need to know, where important gaps remain, and why parental controls should be guardrails, not guarantees.