Children and young persons with preventive measures

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Welfare and Health, Social Statistics
Anne Morsing
+45 39 17 39 70

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Children and young persons with preventive measures 2022

The purpose of the statistics is to highlight the number of preventive measures, which the 98 municipalities in Denmark grant to children and young people on the basis of actual legislation regarding special support for children and young people. The statistics are used in preparation of government policies, the public debate and for academic research. The statistics have been produced since the 1th of April 1976. Since the 1th of July 1998 and onwards, the services are granted on the basis of Articles stipulated in the Danish Act on Social Services. Since the 1th of January 2020, the statistics also contain collected data on services granted in accordance to the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Act. In their current form, the statistics are comparable from year 2007 and onwards.

Statistical presentation

The statistics on preventive measures are published annually and updated every year. The statistics present information on relief measures, given to children, youth and families in need of special support, that are granted on basis of specific Articles of the Danish Act on Social Services and the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Act. The statistics contain data on the number on measures and recipients. The data are distributed by age, sex, and type of measure. The data are also distributed by provinces and municipalities. The statistic is released in the StatBank Denmark and in the publication “Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik”.

Statistical processing

Data for these statistics are collected from the 98 municipalities, from their IT-systems, or by using a web–based register system, provided by Statistics Denmark. The collected data from the municipalities are then linked with active measures, already found in the register. Each child or young person in the registry is updated with data, which have been reported during the course of the relevant year. All of the data are subsequently gathered in a register, containing all persons, who, at some point during their first 23 years of life, have received support according to the Danish Act on Social Services and the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Act. The reported information is validated in close collaboration with the municipalities, and are subsequently aggregated and supplemented with data from Statistics Denmark's population statistics.

Relevance

The statistics are used by citizens, researchers, municipalities, government authorities and organizations, which use the data for analysis, research, public debate etc. The statistics are also presented yearly to Statistics Denmark's user committee.

Accuracy and reliability

As the municipalities use different digital systems for data reporting and transmission, the data regarding preventive measures are not registered systematically and uniformly. Municipalities can register the same case/measure on different articles or paragraphs. The extent of such practice in not known. Data regarding paragraphs 57a, 57b and 57c of the Social Service Act are underestimated as these are not reported directly in all of the digital systems, used by the municipalities.

Timeliness and punctuality

The statistics are published approximately 6 months after the end of the reference period. The statistics are published without delay according to the scheduled publish date.

Comparability

The statistics have been published since 1977, but due to large changes in legislation in 1985, 1993 and 2006, the statistics are not directly comparable throughout the whole period.

Accessibility and clarity

These statistics are published yearly in a press release on support to the children and young at risk: Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik om Støtte til udsatte børn og unge. At the same time the statistical tables are updated in the StatBank: Children and youth at risk. For further information, see subject page.