Protection of Childhood: Security Dimensions for Children and Adolescents

Ukraine is a country where parents are acutely aware of the growing threats facing their children, ranking highest among all surveyed nations in perceived dangers. Children here spend more time on social media than their peers elsewhere, while parents demonstrate some of the strongest levels of digital safety awareness. The war and its ripple effects dominate concerns for both parents and children, deeply affecting mental health and overall well-being.

Sample: children – 300, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): War, Landmines, Rising prices, Poverty, Poor mental health.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective):War, Landmines, Rising prices, The threat of nuclear war, Poverty.

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 87%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: War, Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce, Being separated from family members in other countries 

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 6.04

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 6.92

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): War, Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, Political decisions in your own country, Watching/ listening to the news

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): War, Watching or listening to the news, Problems with friends or relationships, Arguments at home, Spending time using social media

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.22

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.61

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom. Air raids, Too much schoolwork to do, Feeling of not fitting in, Violence towards school friends

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 71%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Hate speech, Seeing violent content, Online bullying, Adult content or pornography

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 68%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 99%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 1%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.05

Ranked among the top countries where parents think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did, Brazil faces pressing concerns such as rising prices, poverty, and climate change, shared by both parents and children. Despite these challenges, children’s mental health scores are among the highest. Parents exhibit a strong awareness of digital safety, taking proactive steps to teach their children rules of cyber hygiene and protect them online. However, significant issues like bullying, school violence, and the negative impact of social media continue to pose challenges to children’s daily lives.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Unemployment, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Climate change.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Disease.

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 90%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health, Bullying in person and online, Seeing bad things on social media.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.62

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 8.20

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, The Covid-19 pandemic, Loss of a close friend or family member, Work load/ working environment.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems at school, Spending time using social media, Problems with friends or relationships, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Watching or listening to the news.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.91

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.23

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Violence towards school friends, Physical bullying, Violence towards teachers, Too much schoolwork to do.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 66%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Seeing violent content, Hate speech, Online bullying, Adult content or pornography.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 92%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 6%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 79%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.57

In the USA, both children and parents identify mental health as a key issue impacting local people, including the younger generation. Concerns about school safety are notably high, with both groups expressing increased anxiety in this area. Parents in the US are significantly more worried about the growing threats their children face compared to their own childhood. Acknowledging the dangers from the digital space, American parents show one of the highest levels of digital safety literacy among the surveyed countries.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Poor mental health, Climate change, Unemployment

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Poverty, Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters)

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 89%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health, Bullying in person and online, Feeling safe at school 

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 6.90

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.92

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Family/ relationship breakdown, Watching/ listening to the news, Political decisions in your own country

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Spending time using social media, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems at school, Arguments at home

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.74

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.80

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Feeling of not fitting in, Violence towards school friends, Physical bullying

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 52%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Seeing violent content, Hate speech, Adult content or pornography

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 90%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 12%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 68%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.53

In Kenya, both parents and children identify economic difficulties and food shortages, worsened by climate change and disease, as the key challenges for people in their country. The nation ranks among the highest in the share of parents who believe their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did in their own childhood. Despite children in Kenya spending the least amount of time on social media, parents express the highest level of concern about the online content their children are exposed to, compared to other surveyed countries.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Unemployment, Rising prices, Poverty, Food shortages, Climate change

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Food shortages, Disease, Climate change

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 89%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce; Looking after my mental health; Bullying in person and online

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.34

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.76

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Political decisions in your own country, Loss of job/ employment, Loss of a close friend or family member

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Problems at school, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Arguments at home, Watching or listening to the news

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.98

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.26

Top 5 problems at school (children): Property stolen, Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Physical bullying, Violence towards school friends

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 39%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Adult content or pornography, Seeing violent content, Hate speech, Online bullying

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 77%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 14%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 83%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.74

In Japan, both children and parents see natural disasters as the top challenge for people in their country. War is also a significant issue directly impacting children. The country reports the lowest perceived mental health levels among both children and parents, with the leading source of distress for children being the time spent on social media.

Sample: children – 298, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Natural disasters like earthquakes or flooding, Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Floods.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Natural disasters like earthquakes or flooding, Rising prices, Climate change, Poor mental health, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters).

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 77%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: War, Friendships, Looking after my mental health.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 5.78

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 6.65

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Work load/ working environment, The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Family/ relationship breakdown, The Covid-19 pandemic.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Spending time using social media, Problems at school, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems with friends or relationships, Arguments at home.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.90

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.57

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Online bullying, Too much schoolwork to do, Feeling of not fitting in, Violence towards school friends.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 69%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Seeing violent content, Online bullying, Hate speech, Receiving demands for money.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 64%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 4%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 72%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.88

French children view environmental threats, particularly sea and river pollution, as their top concern. Both parents and children take the threat of extremism more seriously here compared to other surveyed countries. This nation also ranks among the leaders in terms of children indirectly affected by wars and has one of the lowest school safety perception and school satisfaction scores.

Sample: children – 297, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Climate change, Poverty, Unemployment, Floods.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Climate change, Seas and rivers being polluted, Populism/the rise of extremists, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters).

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 84%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Environmental issue and climate change, Looking after my mental health, Friendships.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.10

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.05

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Work load/ working environment, Watching/ listening to the news, Loss of a close friend or family member.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems at school, Arguments at home, Spending time using social media.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.52

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.52

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Physical bullying, Violence towards school friends, Feeling of not fitting in.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 48%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Seeing violent content, Adult content or pornography, Hate speech, Being asked for intimate images.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 72%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 10%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 86%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.01

In Lithuania, both children and parents view rising prices as the most pressing issue for people in their country, alongside concerns about climate change and poor mental health. Parents also highlight poor physical health as a significant challenge, while children are more likely to report loneliness compared to those in other surveyed countries. Although children in Lithuania spend relatively little time on social media, the country has a lower-than-average level of digital safety literacy among parents.  

Sample: children – 300, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Climate change, Poor physical health, Poor mental health, Unemployment

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Loneliness, Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters)

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 76%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health; Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce; Bullying in person and online

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.70

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.85

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, Work load/ working environment, War/armed conflict, Watching/ listening to the news

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Problems at school, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Arguments at home, Spending time using social media

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.00

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.12

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Online bullying, Violence towards school friends, Feeling of not fitting in

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 43%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Adult content or pornography, Being asked for intimate images, Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Seeing violent content

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 75%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 51%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 43%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.15

In Serbia, war is widely recognized as a key issue affecting children personally, yet economic challenges are seen as the most pressing concern for people in this country over the next two years, according to both parents and children. Despite these difficulties, Serbia boasts the highest perceived mental health among children and ranks among the highest for parents as well.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Air pollution, Poverty, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Poor mental health

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor air quality, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Seas and rivers being polluted, Poverty

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 74%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Seeing bad things on social media, War, Bullying in person and online

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 8.10

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 8.49

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, Work load/ working environment, Political decisions in your own country, Watching/ listening to the news

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems at school, Spending time using social media, Watching or listening to the news

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.88

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.84

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Violence towards school friends, Feeling of not fitting in. Violence towards teachers

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 49%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Seeing violent content, Misinformation or “fake news”, Hate speech, Adult content or pornography, Online bullying

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 70%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 7%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 83%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.71

In the UK, mental health is the top concern for children, with parents also recognizing it as a key issue for people in this country in the coming years. Both children and parents view climate change and the rise of extremism as significant threats, too. Children report that their mental health is most affected by relationship issues, stressful news, and an overload of schoolwork or chores. Despite these challenges, the UK ranks among the leaders in perceived children’s mental health and home safety perception.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Poverty, Climate change, Populism/the rise of extremists

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Climate change, Populism/the rise of extremists, Poverty

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 77%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health, Seeing bad things on social media, Bullying in person and online

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 6.66

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 8.05

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Watching/ listening to the news, Work load/ working environment, Family/ relationship breakdown

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Watching or listening to the news, Problems at school, Spending time using social media

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.99

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.97

Top 5 problems at school (children): Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Too much schoolwork to do, Violence towards school friends, Physical bullying, Property stolen

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 51%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Seeing violent content, Adult content or pornography, Hate speech

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 81%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 9%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 71%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.70

In Türkiye, beyond the prevalent economic concerns seen in many countries, both parents and children identify the growing threats of natural disasters and extremism as significant challenges for local people. Children also highlight wars, stressful content from social media, and family worries as major issues affecting them personally. Türkiye ranks among the top countries where children are indirectly affected by wars, and parents express heightened concern about the increasing dangers their children face compared to their own childhood. Despite these challenges, children in Türkiye report a relatively strong sense of safety at home.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Natural disasters like earthquakes or flooding, Unemployment, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters)

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Natural disasters like earthquakes or flooding, Climate change, Populism/the rise of extremists

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 93%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: War; Seeing bad things on social media; Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.33

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.58

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Watching/ listening to the news, Political decisions in your own country, Natural disasters (fire/ earthquake etc)

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Spending time using social media, Watching or listening to the news, War, Problems at school, Arguments at home

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.63

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.94

Top 5 problems at school (children): Online bullying, Too much schoolwork to do, Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Physical bullying, Violence towards school friends

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 55%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Hate speech, Seeing violent content, Online bullying, None of the above

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 79%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 15%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 80%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.28

In Qatar, both parents and children see climate change, extreme temperatures, and poor air quality as the most significant challenges for people in their country, including the young generation. However, children rank artificial intelligence and technology replacing jobs as their top concern for the next two years. With one of the lowest average social media usage rates among children, Qatar also stands out with the highest perceived mental health scores for children compared to other surveyed countries.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Rising prices, Air pollution, Unemployment

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Artificial intelligence or technology replacing jobs, Poor air quality, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Animals and plants becoming extinct, Climate change

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 47%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Feeling safe at school; Environmental issue and climate change; Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 8.13

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 8.38

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, Loss of job/ employment, War/armed conflict, The cost of living/ inflation, Family/ relationship breakdown

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems at school, Spending time using social media, Watching or listening to the news, Problems with friends or relationships

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.22

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.37

Top 5 problems at school (children): None of the above, Too much schoolwork to do, Physical bullying, Bad behavior by pupils in the classroom, Not getting the help needed at school

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 37%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Hate speech, Online fraud, Adult content or pornography

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 82%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 34%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 58%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.24

In Iraq, school safety is the primary concern for children. War is also a major issue, and home safety perception in this country is the lowest among all surveyed nations. Despite these challenges, children here spend less time on social media compared to other countries, and parents report the highest mental health scores of all those surveyed.

Sample: children – 299, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Unemployment, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Air pollution, Poverty, Rising prices.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Seas and rivers being polluted, Rising prices, Poverty, War, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters).

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 46%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Feeling safe at school, War, Looking after my mental health.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 8.23

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.10

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, War/armed conflict, Financial worries, Work load/ working environment, Political decisions in your own country.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): War, Problems with friends or relationships, Watching or listening to the news, Spending time using social media, Arguments at home.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.75

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.13

Top 5 problems at school (children): Too much schoolwork to do, Not getting the help needed at school, Physical bullying, Feeling of not fitting in, Not getting help for special educational needs.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 33%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Online fraud, Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Hate speech, Being threatened with harm.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 83%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 41%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 51%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 3.74

In this country, both parents and children identify economic problems and poor mental health as top concerns for the coming years, with additional challenges including loneliness for parents, and climate change and extreme temperatures for children. Children are particularly affected by mental health struggles, friendships, and family worries, while parents cite financial pressures and political instability as key stressors. Despite these challenges, the country has the highest school safety perception score, and children here spend less time on social media compared to other nations.

Sample: children – 300, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective):  Rising prices, Poor mental health, Unemployment, Loneliness, Poor physical health.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Climate change, Extreme temperatures (heatwaves, much colder winters), Loneliness.

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 81%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health, Friendships, Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.08

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.80

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, Political decisions in your own country, Watching/ listening to the news, Work load/ working environment.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems with friends or relationships, Spending time using social media, Problems at school, Arguments at home.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.16

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.09

Top 5 problems at school (children): Too much schoolwork to do, Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Feeling of not fitting in, Physical bullying, Not getting the help needed at school.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 38%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Hate speech, Misinformation or “fake news”, Seeing violent content, Adult content or pornography, Online bullying.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 72%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 21%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 70%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.35

Estonian parents show relatively less concern about their children facing greater threats compared to their own childhood. However, rising prices, poverty, and mental health challenges are among the most pressing issues in the years ahead. For children, managing their mental health remains a top priority, with key stressors including relationship issues with friends and family, as well as being overwhelmed by schoolwork and household chores. Despite these challenges, the country ranks highly in school safety perception, with children reporting strong satisfaction with their school environment.

Sample: children – 297, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective): Rising prices, Poverty, Unemployment, Poor mental health, Poor physical health.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Poor mental health, Artificial intelligence or technology replacing jobs, Climate change, Poverty.

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 59%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Looking after my mental health, Environmental issue and climate change, Family worries like arguments, illness, divorce.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.11

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 7.56

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): Financial worries, The cost of living/ inflation, Work load/ working environment, War/armed conflict, Political decisions in your own country.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Problems with friends or relationships, Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Arguments at home, Problems at school, Watching or listening to the news.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.08

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.25

Top 5 problems at school (children): Too much schoolwork to do, Feeling of not fitting in, Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Online bullying, Not getting the help needed at school.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 44%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Seeing violent content, Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Being asked for intimate images, Seeing images of self harm or suicide.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 81%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 53%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 40%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.13

Among the leaders in children’s mental health scores, this country also has one of the highest levels of school satisfaction and school safety perception among children. Both parents and children identify environmental issues as top concerns, with parents particularly worried about the impact of air pollution, while children express fears about animal and plant extinction. Personal issues like online bullying and the negative effects of social media remain prevalent for children, as parents demonstrate strong digital safety awareness to help protect their children in an increasingly connected world.

Sample: children – 298, parents – 300 

Top 5 problems people face in this country in the next two years (parents’ perspective):  Rising prices, Climate change, Poor mental health, Loneliness, Air pollution.

Top 5 problems children and young people face in this country in the next two years (children’s perspective): Rising prices, Climate change, Artificial intelligence or technology replacing jobs, Animals and plants becoming extinct, Poor mental health.

Share of parents who think their children face more threats to their safety and well-being than they did: 53%

Top 3 issues affecting children personally: Environmental issue and climate change, Bullying in person and online, Looking after my mental health.

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (parents): 7.58

Assessment of personal mental health (from 1 to 10) (children): 8.10

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (parents): The cost of living/ inflation, Financial worries, Work load/ working environment, Injury or illness of a close friend or family member, Family/ relationship breakdown.

Top 5 factors adversely influencing mental health (children): Too much schoolwork or chores at home, Problems with friends or relationships, Problems at school, Spending time using social media, Watching or listening to the news.

School safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.10

School satisfaction score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.19

Top 5 problems at school (children): Online bullying, Bad behaviour by pupils in the classroom, Physical bullying, Too much schoolwork to do, Feeling of not fitting in.

Share of children spending more than 2 hours a day on social media: 47%

Top 5 online distress factors encountered by children (children’s perspective): Misinformation or “fake news”, Online bullying, Hate speech, Seeing violent content, Adult content or pornography.

Share of parents who have taken steps to teach their child rules of cyber hygiene to stay safe online: 82%

Share of children directly affected by wars: 13%

Share of children indirectly affected by wars: 76%

Home safety perception score (from 1 to 5) (children): 4.37