Parentline Calls 2025

2025 was another record year for Parentline with a massive 9% increase in calls recorded for the year. Parentline took 7,020 calls in 2025 as compared to 6,461 in 2024. The principal stand out statistics were:

29.9% of calls from male callers in 2025

Anger/aggression remains the standout issue accounting for two out of five of all calls. There were 3000 calls on this issue in 2025. This is an increase from 35% in 2024

Calls on anxiety rise to 15% of all calls with over 1000 parents calling in relation to this concern.

Calls on school avoidance increase to 9% of calls

Social media concerns double to 3.5% of all calls in 2025

2025 was a record year for Parentline with the charity taking over 7,000 calls for the first time since it was established 44 years ago.

Parentline is the national helpline for parents offering support, information and guidance to parents on any and all issues in relation to parenting. In 2025 the Parentline volunteers took or made 7,020 calls. This was an increase of 9% on 2024 when the charity had 6,461 calls, demonstrating the growing demand for parental support services across Ireland.

Calls on the issue of social media and the associated dangers for children accessing these platforms emerged as an increasing concern for parents calling Parentline in 2025. Twice as many parents rang the helplines in relation to worries over social media use than in 2024 with 3.5% of calls being in relation to this area as opposed to 1.8% in 2024. This was ten times more than calls on the issue in 2023.

“More parents than ever are concerned about the negative impact on their children’s mental health caused by social media use. Parents worry about cyberbullying, exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, oversharing, online grooming, anxiety and excessive screen time”, said Parentline CEO Aileen Hickie.

“We have trusted social media platforms to mind the online safety of our children and it has not worked. Self-regulation is simply not happening or not good enough. It is like asking the fox to mind the hen house. They have remained largely unregulated and unaccountable. Now is the time to enforce mandatory regulation of these digital platforms. They have to be forced to take some level of responsibility towards children’s rights and what protections should be afforded to prevent them accessing materials that are unsafe or harmful,” added Hickie. “A ban for under 16 year olds on using social media services similar to the one recently introduced in Australia, could help to prevent children from being harmed. It certainly needs to be explored in an effort to protect children from harmful online content and algorithms. More needs to be done to keep our children safe online. We can’t continue to allow children to have unregulated access to social media platforms.” “But essentially parents are the biggest influence in a child’s life. It is crucial for parents to teach their children about online safety, including privacy, cyberbullying and stranger danger. If a child has access to the internet, then the internet also has access to them.”

“ Parents and caregivers need to both have and to know how to use and switch on parental controls across and devices. And open communication is essential and just requires a regular check in with your child about their online experience and address any concerns or issues.”

Despite the rise in calls from parents on social media concerns, it was anger and aggression that remained the leading issue for parents. There were 3,000 calls from parents concerned about child to parent violence and requesting help and support to deal with abusive children.

This is an increase from 35% of all calls in 2024 and now represents two out every five calls to Parentline.

“Calls from parents referencing anger and aggression continue to dominate the helplines with over two in every five calls being from parents concerned with this issue. Parents ring the helplines concerned about verbal abuse, physical abuse, violence or controlling behaviours. All of these issues are covered by the general term of child to parent violence. This is where the parent is left in fear of their own child in their own home because of the behaviours being directed at them. This is the unspoken side of domestic violence. Domestic violence is often thought about as being only partner to partner abuse but it is any violence or abuse that takes place in a domestic setting. Child to parent violence is another form of domestic violence. It leaves parents feeling ashamed, powerless and alone,” added Hickie.

The other two biggest areas of concern are childhood anxiety and school avoidance. In 2025 calls related to childhood anxiety rose to 15% of all calls which was a 2% increase from 2024. 2024. Calls on school avoidance accounted for 9% of all calls made to the helpline in 2025 which was also a small increase on 2024. Calls in relation to school avoidance and anxiety now constitute almost a quarter of all calls are often linked therefore over are now in relation to this area.

Parentline's 2025 Report also highlights the numbers of male callers ringing the helpline service with three in every ten calls being from a male parent or caregiver. This is similar to 2024 when 32.5% of all calls being from male callers.

“When Parentline was established almost 100% of the calls came from mothers - in the intervening years the number of fathers calling the helpline is increasing all the time. Calls from fathers now represent almost one third of all calls. The content of calls from fathers has also changed; 20 years ago fathers used to ask ‘how they could support their wife with her parenting’, and the calls from fathers now show they are playing a much more active role in parenting and there is no difference between the parenting issues raised by men and women.”

“Parentline remains dedicated to providing crucial support and guidance to parents and caregivers navigating the complexities of raising children in today's Ireland. The organisation acknowledges the evolving nature of parental concerns and reaffirms its commitment to offering compassionate assistance to families in need,” said Hickie.

Aileen Hickie, CEO Parentline