What Parents Worry About
I extracted this data to make it easy for busy parents to consume.
The data is from the excellent What Parents Worry About Survey by Reach Out.
Top Concerns of Parents and Carers:
Social media usage: 59%
Futures: 56%
School, study, and exam stress: 52%
Mental health: 50%
Concerns about Social Media Usage:
59% of parents and carers concerned about social media usage
55% of those concerned said it had 'quite a bit' or 'a lot' of impact on their young person's wellbeing
35% of parents and carers said it was a top issue of concern
70% of those who rated social media as a top issue lived in metropolitan areas
60% of those who rated social media as a top issue were caring for children aged under 15
Concerns about Young People's Future:
33% of parents and carers said this was a top issue of concern
56% of parents and carers concerned about the future of young people believed it had 'quite a bit' or 'a lot' of impact on youth wellbeing
Concerns about School, Study, and Exam Stress:
52% of parents and carers said that school, study, and exam stress experienced by the young person they care for was of concern to them
29% said this was a top issue of concern
69% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and carers selected this as an issue, making it the most common concern in this group
Concerns about Mental Health:
Of those who selected mental health as a top concern, 82% said it was having 'quite a bit' or 'a lot' of impact on the young person's wellbeing
39% of parents and carers said mental health was a top issue of concern
46% of parents and carers in regional and remote areas said young people's mental health was a top concern, compared to 37% in metropolitan areas
Concerns about Internet Use and Gaming:
47% of parents and carers said internet use was an issue of concern
24% rated it as an issue of top concern
30% of parents and carers said gaming was an issue that concerned them
15% reported it as being a top issue
76% of parents and carers who selected gaming as a top issue said it had 'quite a bit' or 'a lot' of impact on the wellbeing of the young person
67% of parents whose oldest child was under 15 years of age selected internet use as a top issue
67% of families who speak a language other than English at home selected gaming as a top issue, compared to 14% of those who speak only English
66% of parents whose oldest child was under 15 years of age selected gaming as a top issue
Concerns about Lifestyle Habits:
47% of parents and carers of older children selected lifestyle habits as an issue of concern, compared to 38% of those with younger children
43% of parents and carers said they had concerns about their young person's sleep, diet, and exercise
24% said smoking or vaping by young people was an issue of concern
24% said it was having 'quite a bit' or 'a lot' of impact on youth wellbeing
20% said drug or alcohol use by their young people was concerning
Concerns about School Refusal:
23% of parents and carers reported school refusal as an issue of concern
14% reported it as a top issue
One-third of parents and carers in regional or remote areas reported school refusal as an issue, compared to 19% in major cities
Seven in 10 parents and carers who selected school refusal as a top issue said it had ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ of impact on their young person’s wellbeing
Concerns about Loneliness and Social Issues:
37% of parents and carers in regional and remote areas were concerned about harmful and nasty treatment of young people, compared to 15% in major cities
25% of single-parent families selected loneliness as a concern, compared to 25% of two-parent families
25% of parents and carers in regional and remote areas selected loneliness as an issue of concern, compared to 27% in major cities
Concerns about Identity:
Sexual and gender identity: 8%
Connection with Country: 5%
Connection with culture and community: 13%
80% of parents and carers who selected gender and sexual identity as a top issue reported it had ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ of impact on the wellbeing of the young person
33% of families that spoke another language at home were concerned about losing connection with culture and community, compared to 3% of families who spoke only English
Concerns about Health:
Physical health: 18%
Sex or sexual health: 15%
Living with disability: 10%
90% of caregivers who selected neurodiversity as a top issue said it had ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ of impact on the wellbeing of the young person
Concerns about Behaviour:
How young people treat other people: 8%
Risky or dangerous behaviour: 8%
Getting into trouble with the police: 6%
Being a perpetrator of sexual violence or unwanted sexual behaviour: 2%
91% of those who rated domestic violence as a top issue reported it was having ‘quite a bit’ or ‘a lot’ of impact on youth wellbeing
Concerns about Societal Issues:
Racism: 9%
Exposure to sexual violence or unwanted sexual behaviour: 9%
Exposure to radicalism or extremism: 6%
Mental Health of Young People:
40% of young people aged 15-24 are experiencing mental health challenges
Suicide is the leading cause of death in 15-24 year-olds in 2022
Support Needs:
57% of parents and carers reported needing access to quality, trusted information
45% reported having needed information about where to get support for the young people they care for in the last 12 months
45% reported having needed access to a mental health professional
47% reported they had needed to connect with other parents or carers for support
Less than 15% of parents and carers reported having their support needs completely met
Participation Statistics:
631 parents or carers participated, caring for 921 young people aged 12-18
15% were migrants or born in another country
88% reported speaking only English at home
Participants from all Australian states and territories: 63% from major cities, 23% from inner regional areas, 6% from outer regional areas
Income levels: 23% low-income, 37% middle-income, 35% high-income
40% had heard of ReachOut before participating, only 1 in 5 had used ReachOut’s services
Family structures: 25% single-parent families, 62% two-parent families, 7% blended or step-families, 6% others
9% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, 12% reported at least one young person in their care was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Gender: 53% identified as female, 47% as male, less than 1% as non-binary
So, what’s your take? What are your top worries as a parent?
Drop your thoughts, your rants, or your love letters in the comments.
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