Growing number of parents seek help over their children viewing porn

Calls to Parentline raising concerns about children viewing pornographic videos and photos on phones or other devices rose from 28 calls in 2023 to 80 in 2024. Picture: iStock

An increasing number of parents are seeking help to deal with children viewing pornography, according to national helpline Parentline. 

Parents are also increasingly concerned about the negative impact social media is having on children as young as nine.

Calls relating to social media jumped tenfold in 2024 while more parents than ever are also calling about the easy access to pornography.

Concerns about pornographic videos and photographs that children viewed on phones or other smart devices increased from 28 calls in 2023 to 80 in 2024.

The other issue parents are increasingly worried about is vaping, with the issue accounting for 3% of calls in 2024 compared to just 1% the year before.

The figures are due to be officially released later this month, but overall, 2024 was another record year for Parentline.

It saw a 5% increase in calls to its helpline to 6,461 compared with 6,147 in 2023 and 5,857 in 2022. Parentline chief executive Aileen Hickie said: 

The number of calls on issues such as social media and pornography may seem small in the grand scheme of things, but they are entirely representative of a much bigger problem. 

“Not every parent knows who to ask for help about these and other issues, and not every parent either wants to or is able to take time away from the ears of their children and call for help.

“Many parents think ‘not my child’ but the reality is most children will encounter some form of pornography before they are 16.

“For every person that calls us on this issue, you can easily multiply it by tens and that will always just be the tip of the iceberg.

Parents also say they are increasingly concerned about the negative impact social media is having on children as young as nine. 

“Concerns about pornography and social media are definitely on the increase.”

Anger and aggression remains the “standout issue” concerning parents, Ms Hickie said.

The issue accounts for 35% of all calls, with behaviours including verbal abuse, physical abuse, damage to property, violence and coercive and controlling behaviours.

Calls about adult children were 14% of total call volumes in 2024, while 51% related to children of concern between the ages of 13 and 17, with calls on school avoidance relating to 8% of calls received.

The biggest increase was on the issue of anxiety, with 13% of all calls about the issue — an increase from 9% in 2023. Ms Hickie said:

Childhood anxiety can severely interfere with a child’s daily life and development, family life and education. If it is not addressed, it can lead to mental health issues in adulthood.

“Children can develop anxiety for any number of reasons.

“These include moving schools, exams, bullying as well as abuse or neglect or parental separation or arguments.”

More fathers are also now calling Parentline, which has traditionally dealt with mostly mothers.

Male callers now account for 32.5% of calls, which is up from 23.7% in 2023.

The charity, which has more than 60 volunteers working for it, was set up in 1982 as a support group for parents but it has since grown into a national helpline.

• Parentline can be contacted between 10am and 9pm Monday to Thursday, and between 10am and 7pm on Fridays, at 01 8733500.