Children and young persons placed outside own home

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Welfare and Health, Social Statistics.
Bente Ottosen
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Children and young persons placed outside own home 2023

The statistics provide yearly estimates of the municipalities’ initiated placements and placements of children and young persons in out-of-home care. The figures are classified by provinces, municipalities, type of measure, place of accommodation, cause of placement in out-of-home care, cause of change in the placement of out-of-home care, sex, and age groups. They are published in StatBank Denmark and in a Danish-language article by Statistics Denmark in The New York Times.

The municipalities have not indicated that data regarding placements of children in out-of-home care for the period 2020-2021 are affected by the special circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistical presentation

The statistics contain yearly estimates of the municipalities’ initiated placements and placements of children and young persons in out-of-home care. The figures are classified by provinces, municipalities, type of measure, place of accommodation, cause of placement in out-of-home care, cause of change in the placement of out-of-home care, sex, and age groups. The statistics are published in StatBank Denmark and in a NYT article authored in Danish by Statistics Denmark.

The municipalities have not indicated that data regarding placements of children in out-of-home care for the period 2020-2021 are affected by the special circumstances that arose due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistical processing

Data for these statistics are continually collected from the administrative municipalities. The collected data is then subjected to a meticulous validation process in cooperation with the municipalities. All of the municipalities receive feedback sheets, representing the scope and nature of the reported data, which need to be approved by the municipalities. Data is subsequently gathered in an incident register which forms the basis for a creation of a progress register and a status/stock register.

Relevance

The statistics are used by municipalities, provinces, ministries, the media, researchers, private individuals and organizations. The statistics are used for public planning and administration, research, public debate and education.

Accuracy and reliability

Data is reported from the municipalities' administrative systems, which are used for case processing. There may be errors or omissions in the reports, or reports may be missing altogether. The municipalities approve an annual status prior to publication of the statistics. In this context, municipalities are requested to correct any errors and deficiencies.

Changes in placements are generally underestimated because the changes are only indirectly approved by the municipalities based on the reported placement status.

Timeliness and punctuality

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

Comparability

The statistics are comparable from 2011 and onwards.

Accessibility and clarity

These statistics are published in a Danish press release, Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik. The figures are also published in Statbank Denmark in Disadvantaged children and young people Further information can be found at the webpage of the statistics Udsatte børn og unge or by contacting Statistics Denmark directly.