Disability services for children and young people

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Personal Finances and Welfare, Social Statistics
Jane Christensen
+45 20 58 42 40

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Disability services for children and young people 2024

The purpose of the statistics on disability compensation services for children and young people is to provide an overview of the support measures granted by Denmark’s 98 municipalities to children and young people aged 0–17 with reduced mental or physical functional capacity.

These statistics are used, among other things, to inform policy development, support public debate, and contribute to research. The statistics were compiled for the first time in relation to the year 2022.

In 2022 and 2023, the statistics include measures granted from 1 January 2022 onwards under Sections 32, 32a, 36, 44/83, 44/84.1, 44/86.2, and 45 of the Social Services Act.

From 2024, with the implementation of the Child’s Act (barnets lov), the statistics include measures granted under Sections 82.1, 82.2, 82.3, 82.4, 90.1, 90.2, 90.3, and 89.1 of the Child’s Act.

These statistics replace the previously reported summary data on disability compensation measures for children and young people, which were part of the statistics on social resources.

Statistical presentation

The statistics provide an annual overview of disability compensation measures granted to children and young people with reduced physical or mental functional capacity, in accordance with the selected provisions of the Child’s Act and, previously, the Social Services Act.

The statistics include information on the number of measures and the number of recipients. Data is presented by age, gender, and type of measure. It is also broken down by region and municipality.

The statistics are published in the Statistics Denmark database and in the publication NYT from Statistics Denmark.

Statistical processing

Data for this statistic is collected on an ongoing basis from the specialist systems of Denmark’s 98 municipalities or through manual entry in Statistics Denmark’s online reporting system, IDEP, which can be accessed via Virk.dk or the information page on disability compensation measures for children and young people at Statistics Denmark.

Existing records are updated based on the data submitted during the year. These municipal reports are then matched with the measures already recorded in the registers. For each child or young person, existing cases are updated with the newly reported information.

The data is compiled into two longitudinal registers, which include all individuals who, at any point during their first 17 years of life, have received one or more disability compensation measures under the Child’s Act—or previously under the Social Services Act.

Municipalities validate and, if necessary, correct the data before approving it as an accurate reflection of the measures for the given year. Once approved, the submitted data is aggregated and supplemented with data from Statistics Denmark’s population register.

Relevance

The statistics are relevant for researchers, journalists, social authorities (including the ministries and municipalities) and other interested in disability services granted to children and youth.

Accuracy and reliability

Disability compensation services for children and youth may be granted by various departments within municipalities. Due to the use of different digital systems for data reporting and transmission by municipalities, the data are not systematically and uniformly registered. Municipalities administer cases and provide services differently, which can result in the same case or measure being registered under different sections and subsections of the legislation. The full extent of this practice is not known.

Timeliness and punctuality

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

Comparability

The statistics on disability services are most comparable with data previously collected and published in the statistics on social resources. Direct international comparisons cannot be made due to differences in data collection methods and reporting practices.

Accessibility and clarity

The statistics are published in Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik, a Danish-language press release by Statistics Denmark.

Data are also accessible in in Statbank Denmark, under the disability section:: Handicapområdet. For additional details, refer to the subject page of the statistics.