Navigating risk during adolescence

Blonde girl looks away with teenagers talking about her in the distance

Survey findings

Most parents and carers of 10- to 17-year-olds had positive views on adolescent risk:

74% believed their child’s school effectively taught risk awareness.
80% trusted their child’s risk-related decision-making.
86% felt confident supporting their child through adolescence.

These results suggest schools play a key role in risk education, potentially shaping how parents discuss the topic at home. Further qualitative research is needed to explore these perspectives and their impact on adolescent development.

Do parents talk to their teens about risk?

Most parents and carers discussed common adolescent risks with their children (ages 10-17), especially online safety:

93% talked about sharing personal information or images online.
95% discussed online contact with strangers.

Physical health risks were less frequently discussed but still common:

78% talked about alcohol.
79% covered smoking or vaping.

For parents of 14- to 17-year-olds, conversations shifted:

91% discussed drugs—the most talked-about risk.
75% addressed intimate relationships—the least discussed topic.

These findings highlight which risks parents prioritize and where conversations may be lacking.

Why parents avoid risk talks

Parents who hadn’t discussed certain risks with their 10- to 17-year-olds (5%-22%) gave key reasons:

"Too young" was the top reason for avoiding topics like alcohol (66%), smoking/vaping, and unsupervised outings.
"Not knowing enough" was a major barrier to online safety talks—over 25% felt unprepared to discuss sharing personal information or online-only contacts.
Discomfort also played a role—33% avoided online-only contacts, and 41% of parents of 14- to 17-year-olds skipped conversations about intimate relationships.
For drugs, 35% of parents of older teens highlighted a lack of knowledge as their reason for not discussing the topic.