'Learn as much as you can about opportunities out there for your child'

Advising teens about their future can be a challenge for any parent, but help is at hand

- Julie Henry

THE consensus is that teenagers never listen to their parents. But there is at least one topic where family members are the first port of call.

Parents are the most popular source of advice when young people are thinking about their futures.

A new survey completed by 21,000 teenagers who are active on the Unifrog destinations platform reveals that more than two thirds turn to their parents when trying to decide their next steps.

Around half speak to staff at school or college, while friends are the next source of information. Only 12 per cent take note of social media influencers when it comes to planning their future.

But for many parents, giving this advice can feel like a huge responsibility and one they do not necessarily feel equipped to handle, given the complexity of today's education, training and careers landscape.

"It is so difficult for parents, especially when your child doesn't know what they want to do," says Helen Dunne, the mother of a 17-year-old who is about to switch to a new course at college.