Disability services for children and young people

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Personal Finances and Welfare, Social Statistics
Cecilie Katholm
+45 21 45 33 42

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Disability services for children and young people 2025

The purpose of the statistics on disability compensation services for children and young people is to provide an overview of support measures granted by Denmark’s 98 municipalities to children and young people aged 0–17 with reduced mental or physical functional capacity. The statistics are used for policy development, public debate and research. They are compiled annually and were first published in 2023 with 2022 data. In 2024, the statistics were adapted to the Danish Child Act, while ongoing measures continue under the Social Services Act, cf section 213 of the Child Act.

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 StatBank Denmark and in the publication NYT from Statistics Denmark.

Statistical processing

Data are collected on an ongoing basis from the municipalities’ systems or via IDEP. The submissions continuously update the existing information in the registers. For each person, cases are linked and updated with the year’s reports. The data are compiled in two longitudinal registers, covering all persons who have received one or more disability compensation measures under the Child Act or the former Social Services Act. Municipalities validate and approve the data annually and after that the aggregated data are supplemented with information 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 Statbank Denmark, under the disability section: Handicapområdet. For additional details, refer to the subject page of the statistics.

It is possible to buy customized solutions through Consulting, or access to Micro-datathrough Danmarks Datavindue.