Bullying on the Rise in Danish Primary Schools, New Survey Shows

A recent national well-being survey for the 2025/2026 school year has cast a shadow over Denmark's primary education system, revealing a significant and worrying increase in the prevalence of bullying among young students. The data, drawn from the Ministry of Children and Education's national survey by the organization Børns Vilkår, indicates that 5.0 percent of surveyed students reported experiencing bullying either "very often" or "often." This figure represents a stark climb from 3.1 percent five years ago and 2.9 percent a decade prior, signaling a troubling trend that demands urgent attention.

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If we look at the numbers over time, it becomes really interesting. Here we can see worrying tendencies, for example, in relation to bullying.

Lone Smidt, an educational consultant at Børns Vilkår, expressed deep concern over these findings. While acknowledging that the year-on-year change might not appear dramatic, she stressed the significance of the long-term trend. "If we look at the overall picture right now, there isn't a marked change from last year. But if we look at the numbers over time, it becomes really interesting. Here we can see worrying tendencies, for example, in relation to bullying," Smidt stated. She further elaborated that the nature of bullying itself appears to be evolving, becoming more subtle, while children's social interactions face pressure from various external factors.

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The bullying has become more subtle, and children's communities are under pressure from multiple places.

Addressing this escalating issue requires a comprehensive approach, according to Smidt. She emphasized that interventions must be multi-pronged, focusing on improving the frameworks and resources available at individual schools. Crucially, educators and pedagogical staff need enhanced training to effectively prevent, detect, and manage bullying incidents. The survey also highlighted that a growing number of students feel they are not succeeding in their learning, with 13.1 percent reporting they "rarely" or "never" achieve their learning goals. This dual challenge of increasing bullying and unmet learning aspirations underscores the critical need for renewed focus and investment in student well-being and educational support within Danish schools.

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If we are to curb this increase, we need to act on multiple fronts, dealing with frameworks and resources at the individual school, but also ensuring that individual teachers and educators have the necessary competencies to both prevent, detect, and handle bullying.