Accuracy and reliability
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Welfare and Health, Social Statistics.Annesofie Thorup Olesen
+45 3917 3038
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The statistics showcase all placements of children and young persons (aged 0-22 years) in out-of-home care. There can be a few missing observations or observations with missing information. Such errors are minimized by the yearly validation process in cooperation with the municipalities. The validation process involves correcting errors and inconstancies and ultimately approving the reported data by the municipalities. The statistics also contain data on foreign children and youth, who are located in Denmark. Foreign citizens, located in Denmark, are included in the statistical tables published in Statbank Denmark, even if they do not have a CPR number (social security number). Changes in placements of out-of-home care are generally underestimated.
Overall accuracy
Errors and inconstancies are corrected as far as possible by the yearly process of data validation. Ultimately, the municipalities approve the reported data as being a true representation of their activity in the field. Relocations and changes in the legal basis of the decisions are not part of the validation process. It is therefore assessed that relocations and legal changes are not necessarily always reported by the municipalities.
Upon the latest revision of the statistics for the period 2011-2021, the revised figures deviated with up to 50 placements out of 13.400-15.000 placements in total. The deviation percentage can be larger with regard to smaller categories/groups (< 200).
Sampling error
Not relevant for these statistics.
Non-sampling error
Only approved data from the municipalities are published. The municipalities approve data on a summarized level. There are, however, variables that are not included in the approval procedure. Therefore, some uncertainty can occur on a more detailed level; for instance, the causes or changes in placement in out-of-home care, repatriation cases, or in instances where the child or young relocates after the termination of out-of-home care.
In 2020, the municipality of Copenhagen changed it's digital system for data reporting. As a consequence, there is a deficiency in data for 2019 concerning the initiations, consent and decisive causes of placements in out-of-home care.
Data from Lejre municipality, regarding aftercare in the period 2016-2020, were incomplete. The scope of the inconsistency is not known.
Quality management
Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.
Quality assurance
Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.
Quality assessment
All 98 municipalities have received a validation report with key figures. In subsequent dialogue and investigation, a number of municipalities have received further information. The municipalities themselves assess the quality and approve the reported data.
Data revision - policy
Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.
Data revision practice
Revisions for previous years are implemented upon compiling the data for a new reference year. Since the register is a process register, revisions can cover several years back in time. Respondents can make corrections to already reported data or additions of new information daily. Such changes and additions will be included in the next publication. Only a few revisions are expected for earlier years. Data published in StatBank Denmark are revised back to 2011.
Upon the latest revision of the statistics for the period 2011-2021, the revised figures deviated with up to 50 placements out of 13.400-15.000 placements in total. The deviation percentage can be larger with regard to smaller categories/groups (< 200).