Comparability

Comparability - geographical

Similar statistics are compiled in many other countries. However, the statistics are not subject to any EU regulation or compiled in accordance with other international guidelines. Therefore, these statistics can be compared internationally, but not necessarily directly.

Comparability over time

Data has been published for the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2024, initially by the Danish Social Appeals Board (Ankestyrelsen) and from 2016 onwards by Statistics Denmark. The data is comparable across the entire period, taking into account the 2017 restructuring, which involved a reduction in the number of notifier and reason-for-notification categories, as well as an overall improvement in data quality — particularly from 2016 to 2017. The data quality has improved due to intensified validation.

In 2017, the statistics underwent a restructuring by reducing the number of notifier categories from 16 to 11 and notification reason categories from 29 to 16. During data processing, the former categories were converted into the new categories introduced in the 2017 restructuring. Two entirely new notification cause categories and two new notifier types were introduced in 2022 and 2024, respectively. See the conversion tables for mappings from old to new categories For more information, see underretningsårsager and underretter-kategorier.

The addition of new notification cause categories in 2022 results in a lower degree of backward comparability. However, the additions are of a supplementary nature and do not replace previous registrations. The same applies to the introduction of new notifier categories in 2024.

Comments and status on municipal approvals from 2017-2024:

For 2019–2024, all 98 municipalities have approved the reported data. In 2018, 94 municipalities have approved. Aalborg, Gribskov, Horsens, and Sønderborg have not approved for 2018. The number of reports is underestimated for Gribskov and Sønderborg.

For 2017, 97 municipalities approved; Aalborg did not approve due to IT issues.

Notes for 2024:

In January 2024, one notifier category was phased out and two new notifier categories were introduced:

Phased out:

Notifier type no. 7: Family or personal acquaintance

Introduced:

• Notifier type no. 12: The child or young person themselves
• Notifier type no. 13: Family or personal acquaintance

Tønder Municipality reported approximately 500 notifications regarding foreigners in 2024, which were not previously included. These cases are distributed over a time period from 2015–2022. For some cases, the reason could not be determined due to incomplete registration. In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, Tønder Municipality received a dispensation to register these reports with the reason: “Other concerning behavior in the child or young person, e.g. externalizing behavior.”

Næstved and Nyborg municipalities’ data are underestimated by approximately 100 and 60 occurrences. Greve municipality's data is overestimated by 50 reports respectively.

Causes for such errors are reported to be resource challenges in the municipalities and new contact persons’ difficulties with extracting data accurately from the digital systems. A margin of error for all of these cases is about 3 pct., and thus not considered to significantly affect the data quality.

Sønderborg Municipality experienced a system change in 2024, resulting in a lower overall number of reports. The municipality cannot confirm whether this decline is real or due to technical issues.

Note 2023:

Causes for the notifications with values no. 7, 8, and 16 were gradually phased out during 2022 and 2023.

Due to IT challenges related to the transition to new specifications in some municipalities using SBSYS, these values still appear to a limited extent in 2023 data. Corrections of these are expected in future validation and re-releases.

Tønder Municipality saw an increase in reports in 2023 due to improved registration practices concerning foreigners.

Note 2022:

Causes for the notifications with values no. 7, 8, and 16 were phased out in July 2022 following changes in regulations and reporting requirements.

Two new categories were introduced:

• No. 18: Abuse of child/young person, e.g. sexual or violent, committed by the parents.
• No. 31: Abuse of child/young person, e.g. sexual or violent, committed by others than the child’s/young person’s parents.

Since changes took effect mid-2022, both old and new categories appear in 2022 data.

Næstved Municipality’s reports are underestimated by approximately 60 occurences.

Notes 2021:

Randers Municipality underestimated by 70 reports. Syddjurs Municipality removed 300 duplicates, lowering total compared to previous years.

Notes 2020:

Næstved underestimated by 137 reports. Randers underestimated by 78 reports.

Notes 2019:

At least one municipality recorded only one cause per report, even when multiple were relevant. The regulations have been clarified and correct registration practices communicated to municipalities. This error is expected to decrease.

Statistics Denmark identified that Randers Municipality reported from only one of two departments, resulting in underestimation of 39 reports.

Reports from Læsø Municipality (2016–2018) were recorded as Frederikshavn reports. This error concerns few cases and will be corrected going forward.

Notes 2018:

Aalborg, Gribskov, Horsens, and Sønderborg municipalities have not approved reports for 2018. Figures for Gribskov and Sønderborg are underestimated. Horsens figures may be under- or overestimated.

Notes 2017:

Ikast-Brande Municipality has overestimated the number of reports.

Coherence - cross domain

The statistics are linked to other statistics on vulnerable children and young people, as a notification may precede the initiation of a preventive measure or placement of a child.

Coherence - internal

Not relevant for these statistics.