Teen Summit 2026: How to understand what’s going on in your teenager’s life

Being a parent to teenagers can be a challenge and a blessing and everything in between. But despite having hazy memories of what it was like yourself, it's often hard to know what's going on in your kid's lives and even harder, sometimes, to know how you can support them.

But fear not! The annual Bitesize and Radio 5 Live Teen Summit survey is designed to give us an insight into the biggest issues, cares and hopes going on in teenage life in the UK and we've called in some expert help to guide you through it.

The survey, of more than 2,000 13-18 year-olds across the UK asks about teenagers experiences of phone use, social media, school, bullying and lots more too. So Bitesize Parenting asked clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado from our Bitesize Parenting podcast to guide you through some of the most interesting areas. Here is Martha's advice.

What do teenagers think of the smartphone ban?

One of the most timely things the survey asks teenagers about is the proposed ban on social media. The results suggest 46% of young people say that the government is right to restrict social media use for under-16s, although 81% said they thought that most people their age would try to get around the rules of the ban.

This isn’t surprising given adolescence is a developmental period characterised by independence, experimentation and pushing boundaries. Bans rarely change behaviour overnight. But over the longer term, they can change the status quo, help as a deterrent to harmful content, and may create a culture where social media is no longer seen as appropriate for children and young people.

Teenagers trust your advice on screen use

The element of the survey that stands out most to me is that 63% of young people say they trust their parents most for advice about screen use, over their friends (11%) or school (3%).

At a time when many parents feel powerless against technology, this is a hopeful statistic. It tells us that the tech habits you create in your home have the greatest power and are the most effective tool.

Rather than focusing exclusively on screentime limits, think about the tech and phone habits you hold at home. Create a ‘family phone pledge’ and make a promise to each other to work on this together, perhaps setting clear boundaries in your home of where phone and screen use is allowed (e.g. communal spaces at times of the day when this is welcome), and when they need to be put away (e.g. mealtimes and bedtimes).

And for those teenagers who are affected by the social media ban and are likely to find ways around it like using different apps, name it, get curious and talk about it:

• “What’s the worst part of losing access to social media for you?”

• “What might be a good thing about not using social media anymore?”

• “Do you think you will find ways around it by changing your age or maybe using a different app?”

• “Which app will you miss the most? Why? What does it give you?”

And ensure you tell your child: “Children and teens haven’t done anything wrong. The social media ban is happening because big tech companies have chosen not to protect children online. My duty as a parent is to protect you and keep you safe, and this is one way our society is trying to support parents”.

School and future skills: What do young people want?

The survey suggests that children are enjoying school less today than they have done in the past. The number of children not enjoying school has risen by 6% last year to 28% in 2026. Although over half of young people feel school prepares them reasonably well for the future, the survey suggests 32% think it is doing so 'badly'.

Their concerns reveal they want more support around practical life skills such as managing money, applying for jobs and gaining work experience. And it highlights that young people want more support with stress management, communication skills, problem solving and social skills.

Young people’s concerns emphasise that academic achievement alone is unlikely to prepare them for the future. In a world dominated by digital tech and AI, the skills young people need to stand out from the crowd are social and communication skills, adaptability, imagination and creativity, and collaboration skills.

You can encourage your child to develop these skills outside of school by allowing them to take increasing responsibility for practical tasks. For example, involve them in planning family holidays, help them learn about managing budgets (e.g. You could go food shopping together and give them a budget and a shopping list. See how many items they can buy and allow them to problem solve and prioritise wants over needs).

If you want to understand the skills your child feels they’re missing, open up the conversation. Ask them: “What do you wish you knew more about that you haven’t learnt yet?”, notice the gaps in their skill set and think together about how you can approach and help them feel prepared.

Remind your child that some of life's most valuable lessons happen through friendships, hobbies, part-time jobs, volunteering and family experiences. Use these everyday moments to teach skills they may not get in academic settings.

How often are teenagers experiencing bullying and where?

The survey suggests that half of young people experience bullying online and that it happens with the same frequency in person as well. This aligns with the wider research we have on this topic. The online world is a mirror of the real-world relationships children have and going online amplifies some of these struggles.

Young people often don't disclose bullying to adults because of fear it will be dismissed, make things worse, or remove their access to devices. Having regular, low-pressure conversations about bullying is important.

Rather than asking your child: "Are you being bullied?" Talk about bullying and help them understand what it is. This might sound like: “Do you know what bullying is? Tell me about it… It’s not just when someone says something mean, we can all say the wrong thing sometimes. It’s when someone repeats mean words, or even uses silence and exclusion, to make someone feel small scared or upset. It can happen online too.”

Open up conversations about friendships, but rather than asking: “do you know anyone who is bullied?” Ask something more nuanced that gives them permission to open up if they wish to. This may sound like: “Who out of the kids in your school makes others feel good about themselves? Who makes things harder for others or brings up bad feelings?”

These questions can feel less threatening. If your child discloses bullying, resist the urge to jump immediately into problem-solving. Young people often need to feel understood before they’re ready to discuss solutions.

Start by listening with curiosity. Empathise. And then take your time to discuss together what the plan for action is. This may involve teaching your child assertiveness skills to stand up to the bullying (for them or a friend) and advocating for a child’s safety by speaking to school too.

How prevalent is sexual harassment for teenagers?

In the Teen Summit survey, 17% of young people said they'd experienced sexual harassment at school. This included behaviours like wolf whistling, inappropriate comments and 15% of the teenagers who were surveyed saying they'd received persistent and unwanted nude images or videos from a peer.

The survey also suggests 32% of those questioned have been exposed to pornographic content online or on social media, while 55% have seen sexist content online or on social media. We cannot ignore the role this may play in normalising the objectification of bodies and the expression of disrespectful attitudes and behaviours.

Children learn what is acceptable from the environments around them. The more frequently they encounter misogynistic, sexist or objectifying messages, the more ordinary these behaviours can begin to feel.

Having conversations about consent and healthy relationships is not a ‘nice to have’. They have to be a parental priority.

Keep an open dialogue about the digital diet your child has" - Dr Martha Deiros-Collado

Many parents worry about saying the wrong thing but having the right language is less important than having the conversation. So, start and think of it as something you can revisit and keep discussing. Conversations around consent and respect are never a ‘one-off’. You may want to start off the conversation with something that sounds like: "What do you think counts as ‘flirting’ and when does it cross the line? How can you tell what the difference is".

Focus on teaching life skills including talking about porn (not ‘if’ they see it, but for when they do), what ‘red flag feelings’ might be (e.g. anxiety, feeling scared) and what they can do if they are sent a nude image (e.g. if online, block, talk to a safe person and report it. Or, if in person, who they can speak to and that they will never get into trouble for speaking up).

Keep an open dialogue about the digital diet your child has. Make it routine to check in with your child on what they’ve seen and experienced online in the same way you check in with what they did and experienced at school or when hanging out with friends.

Monitor digital habits by creating communal spaces and going online together so you can build digital skills in real time with them. And ensure that you embed a culture of consent and respect in your home and with those around you. Children need to experience the foundation of healthy relationships to understand when things feel unsafe. Ensure you name it, call it out, and practice what you preach.

How often do teenagers read for pleasure?

The survey suggests that a quarter of young people can't remember the last time they read for pleasure, and more than half can’t think of a single book they’d recommend to another teenager.

Reading is about much more than literacy. A recent research review from the University of Cambridge found that reading benefits brain health across the lifespan, not when they learn phonics or read for ‘homework’, but when children read for enjoyment.

Enjoyable stories help young people to have better attention, memory, problem-solving skills, empathy, perspective-taking, imagination, and protects them from mental health difficulties. Reading also offers young people an opportunity to slow down, allowing their brains and bodies to rest, and research shows they tend to sleep better and have less screen time.

The challenge parents face is that in the UK phonics starts at 3-4 years and becomes structured at ages 4-5 and reading has become something children associate with school achievement and ‘testing’ rather than pleasure. Bringing back the joy of reading is important and for this, parents must shift the focus away from performance. Rather than asking, "Have you done your reading?" try asking, "What have you enjoyed reading lately?"

Children who grow up seeing adults read books are more likely to read too. So if your child doesn’t seem interested in books, head to your local library and grab some nice-looking picture books, graphic novels, ‘Guiness book of records’, sport biographies… light reads that may appeal to your child. Leave them out on a coffee table in your lounge or a space they tend to sit in to rest.

You don’t need to introduce them or say anything. Just notice what happens. In my experience, young people will reach for them and start reading them. Because they are short, finishing them is easy and reading becomes enjoyable again. When you can, model reading some of these too. Those few minutes of pause while reading a quick story may just be the reset your body and mind need too.

What is the bigger picture for teenagers and parents?

Our world is changing rapidly due to technology and AI, but young people’s brains, emotional and social worlds are not. They still need safe loving adults to help them make sense of the world. Whether it’s social media, reading for joy, making healthy friendships and keeping their bodies safe, young people benefit from having adults who are present, curious, and strongly connected to them.

And you can do this by having an open dialogue, being a safe space for questions and honest conversations, and remembering that more than their friends, school, or the digital world, you are your child’s greatest role model and positive influence.

About the survey

The Teen Summit survey was conducted by Survation, on behalf of BBC Bitesize and 5 Live. More than 2,000 teenagers, aged between 13-18 answered questions about the issues important to them. The results of the survey have helped us to get to know teens and the issues that affect them, from their feelings about themselves to those about the world around them. This survey was conducted by Survation interviewing 2087 teenagers aged 13-18 years old online between 2nd July and 17th July 2026.

If you're looking for something to help your teenager navigate some or all of these issues the Bitesize Guide to School Life is a brilliant starting place.

By Dr Martha Deiros-Colledo, a clinical psychologist and registered practitioner

This article was published in October 2026

Series 2 of our Bitesize Parenting Teens Podcast is coming in 2027. Although we can't guarantee we will use submitted voice notes on the podcast, if you have a query as a parent of a teenager that you think may be of interest, you can contact our Bitesize Parenting Teens What's App number: 0800 0314774