Danish children and adolescents experience more social support than most of their European peers
Children and adolescents in Denmark receive more support from family, friends, and teachers than their peers in most other European countries. This is revealed in a large international schoolchildren survey involving 280,000 students from 44 countries.
When a Danish student needs advice, someone to talk to about personal challenges, or help with homework, there is a high chance that someone will step in—whether it’s parents, friends, or teachers. In fact, Danish children and adolescents report receiving more support from their closest social networks than most other schoolchildren across Europe and Canada.
These findings come from the latest international schoolchildren survey. In total, 280,000 students aged 11, 13, and 15 from almost all European countries and Canada answered questions about their relationships with friends, family, teachers, and classmates.
The survey is part of the international research project Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC), which includes Denmark’s Skolebørnsundersøgelsen.
The survey covers a broad range of topics related to family and school, such as school pressure, school satisfaction, family structure, communication, and family meals.
Shaped by Social Relationships
Across the 44 participating countries, there are significant differences in how much social support children and adolescents experience. In some countries, nearly all young people report high levels of support, while in others, only a minority do. Danish schoolchildren rank among the top eight for receiving social support from parents, friends, and teachers. The only area where Danish children rank slightly lower—but still above average—is in receiving support from classmates.
Senior researcher Mette Rasmussen from the National Institute of Public Health is pleased that Danish children and adolescents report having support at home, among friends, and at school:
“Children and adolescents are shaped by the social contexts in which they live. Supportive relationships with family, friends, teachers, and classmates are crucial for their well-being and ability to cope with life’s challenges. It is encouraging that most Danish children and adolescents experience high levels of social support and that Denmark ranks well in a European context.”
Continued Focus Needed
Despite the overall positive results, some Danish children still fall through the cracks. Senior researcher Katrine Rich Madsen, who leads the Danish part of the Schoolchildren Survey, stresses the importance of identifying and supporting these young people.
“A continuous focus on strengthening children’s relationships and social communities is crucial. It is essential to identify and support those who lack such vital social connections. This will not only enhance children’s well-being but also help prevent loneliness. We must address this issue both when shaping school environments and when defining the structural conditions and opportunities for families with children,” she says.
The international schoolchildren survey is conducted every four years, with the next round scheduled for 2026.
The figure is an example of how Danish children compare to their peers in other countries. It shows the percentage of 13-year-old children who experience high support from friends. Children in Denmark rank third.
To explore how Danish children aged 11-15 compare with their peers in other European countries and Canada on topics like social media use, body image, school life, weight status, or sexual health, consult the international thematic reports published by the HBSC network
Read more about Skolebørnsundersøgelsen, which is Denmark's contribution to the HBSC
Contact: Senior Researcher Mette Rasmussen, email: mera@sdu.dk, phone: +45 6550 7319 and Senior Researcher and Project Leader Katrine Rich Madsen, email: krma@sdu.dk, phone: +45 6550 7719, National Institute of Public Health, 糖果派对.