3 in 4 Brit parents use Facebook to check up on their kids' university antics

A new study has found that three in four parents use social networking site Facebook to check up on their university going children.

The research, commissioned by insurance company Ensleigh, also found that 72% of 18-25-year-olds who have left home use the internet to speak to their parents.

Students, who have left home, use different kinds of forms to contact their parents, with 70% opting to call on their mobile, and a lesser number opting to text.

Only 7% of young adults use the postal service to keep in touch.

The study also found that despite the rise of social media networks like Facebook young people are getting more homesick than ever.

"The internet and social media have become indispensable tools for students for both study and for life, but they are clearly no substitute for human contact at what is often a time of upheaval, during which many feel homesick," The Daily Mail quoted National Union of Students President Aaron Porter as saying.

"Access to a computer or laptop is increasingly becoming essential as a way of keeping in contact with family, so it is all the more important that those essential items are protected.

"Parents can often help achieve peace of mind by ensuring insurance cover and anti-virus software are covered, reducing worry at an already stressful time," he said.

Commenting on the findings, relationship expert Christine Webber said that parents are becoming less anxious about their kids as there are so many different ways to keep in touch.

"But they must be careful not to invade their privacy by checking up on them too much," she said.

"However it seems nothing can replace the comfort of the human voice, which is why so many students still need to phone home for a regular catch up," she added.

The poll questioned 1,000 students and 1,000 parents of university-bound children, as well as using results from a survey of 700 first year students in June.