4.1 General context
Main challenges to social inclusion
Despite the Danish welfare state’s broad range of services and benefits, certain groups in society are socially excluded or at risk of exclusion.
Marginalised people are often:
- NEETs (Not in education, employment or training)
- People living in poverty
- People with disabilities
- People with problematic drug/alcohol use
- People living in homelessness
- People involved in prostitution
- People in criminality
- Minorities, for instance, people with a migrant background
What leads to marginalisation and exclusion?
In Denmark, there are several challenges to social inclusion. A study from the Danish Center for Social Research (VIVE) – established that very complex mechanisms lead to social marginalisation.
Marginalised young people come from all layers of society.
Aspects of marginalisation in Denmark
Levels | Aspects | Factors of vulnerability |
Structures and society |
Labour market Income Ethnic segregation |
Unemployment Poverty/low income Lack of housing High rent Discrimination |
Measures and programmes |
Public benefits Services Organisation and coordination Prevention |
Low benefits Sanctions Lack of sufficient and focused measures Fragmentation Lack of coordination Lack of early intervention |
Network and family |
Family circumstances Civil status/relationship |
No/few family relations Complicated family relations Single/divorce, loss of a partner Lack of close relations/friendships Undesirable friendships |
Personal matters |
Physical health Mental health Abuse Social matters Housing Age |
Chronic/physical illness Disability In need of care Mental illness Child neglect/neglect in youth Alcohol, hash, and drug abuse Criminal/violent behaviour Prison stays/sentences Lack of social skills/social capital Unemployed Unfinished primary school No education leading to a vocational/professional qualification Homelessness/eviction Migrant/refugee/descendants of migrants Young |
SFI, (2015)
Young people from marginalised families are at greater risk of marginalisation, but about half of the age group of 18-24 years that are socially marginalised come from average middle-class homes with parents who have an education, employment and no experience of abuse, crime, mental illness, etc.
The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) has increased since the financial crisis and has now stabilised at a higher level than before the crisis.
The number of young people in homelessness has decreased over the past years, according to the national point-in-time (one-week) counts that have been carried out biannually since 2007 by VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research. In 2017, the VIVE national homeless survey indicated that the number of young people living in homelessness had been rising. However, the 2019 and 2022 VIVE national homeless survey indicates a decrease in the number of young people living in homelessness in Denmark.
Year | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2022 |
18-24-year-olds | 1172 | 1273 | 1023 | 744 |
25-29-year-olds | 799 | 1014 | 905 | 842 |
There is no regular national survey of young people’s social inclusion.
However, the annual social policy report takes a closer look at social policy initiatives in Denmark. The focus is on a systematic charting of the target groups, the initiatives, their content and results. The category ‘disadvantaged children and young people’ is one of the three main target groups in the report. In the report, the target group is defined as children and young people in the 0-22 age group who are recipients of support or services under the Act on social services (serviceloven) due to social or mental issues or disabilities. The 2022 report shows that 4.7 % of all children and young people in the age group received social service intervention in 2021, which is about 75 200 children and young people. Furthermore, the report shows that the expenses for social service interventions targeting children and young people amounted to DKK 18 billion.
Primary and lower secondary education institutions (folkeskole), preparatory basic education and training (FGU), as well as general and vocational upper secondary education institutions, are obliged to conduct an annual school satisfaction survey (trivselsmåling). The objective of the measurement is to strengthen and monitor pupils’ and students’ well-being. Data from the surveys is accessible via a database on the Ministry of Children and Education’s website. The data contains information on, for instance, social well-being, bullying, and learning environment. Furthermore, data can be broken down by origin, age, education institution, and gender. The data helps institutions, municipalities, and the ministry identify issues with well-being and, therefore, social inclusion.
Definitions and concept
In 2014, the National Board of Social Services and University College South Denmark established a definition of the concept of inclusion:
‘“Inclusion” is when a person or a group of people actively and equally participate in mutually developing communities despite differences in qualifications and functional capacity, including contextual factors. “Equally” refers to a mutual acceptance of differences. “Communities” refer to common societal institutions where people interact and affect each other, for instance, employment, education, associational life, and local society.’