The Greenlandic families in Denmark fighting to get their children back - BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Parenting Competency Tests: Cognitive and psychological assessments used to evaluate a person's fitness to care for a child.
• Cultural Inappropriateness: The idea that certain assessment tools or practices are not suitable for or do not accurately reflect the cultural norms and values of a specific group.
• Colonialism: The practice of one country establishing dominance over another, often involving the imposition of cultural norms and practices.
• Systemic Prejudice: Bias or discrimination embedded within the structures and practices of institutions.
• Trauma-Informed Parenting: Parenting approaches that acknowledge and address the impact of past trauma on an individual's ability to parent.
• European Court of Human Rights: An international court that hears cases concerning alleged violations of human rights as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Historic Injustices and Present Struggles in Greenland

The Danish Prime Minister has issued an apology for historical injustices committed against Greenland, its former colony. This apology extends beyond past grievances to address ongoing issues affecting Greenlandic people. A significant concern is the use of "parenting competency tests," which have led to hundreds of Greenlandic children being removed from their families. These tests, described as a scandal, were outlawed for use on Greenlanders in May due to their cultural inappropriateness. The Danish government is now reviewing hundreds of past cases, with some parents being reunited with their children, while others have been informed it is too late.

The Impact of Child Removals

The separation of children from their families has devastating consequences. Parents express profound grief and fear of losing their children again, even when reunification is occurring. The emotional toll is immense, with parents missing crucial milestones in their children's lives, such as first steps and first words.

The Use and Misuse of Parenting Competency Tests

Methodology and Application

Parenting competency tests are cognitive and psychological assessments designed to determine a person's suitability to care for a child. They can include a wide range of questions and tasks, such as general knowledge, logic, memory, and emotional understanding. In some cases, these tests have been used after extensive contact with social services when progress with a family is not being made.

Case Study: Keira's Experience

Keira's story highlights the problematic application of these tests. Her children were taken from her, with initial concerns citing her eldest daughter's language development. Keira underwent assessments that included questions like "Who is Mother Teresa?" and tasks involving playing with a doll, where she was criticized for not making eye contact. She was told these tests were to see if she could "be a part of civilization" or "act like a human being." Her assessments concluded that trauma from her upbringing affected her parenting. She also alleges pressure from psychologists and social workers to have abortions, with one psychologist questioning why she would keep her baby and deeming her "not responsible enough" for not having an abortion.

Cultural Bias and Prejudice

A former case worker noted that when dealing with parents of Greenlandic background, there was often a lack of interpreters and a significant amount of prejudice. Parents did not recognize how they were represented in assessments, indicating a fundamental misunderstanding and misapplication of the tests within their cultural context.

Banning the Tests for Greenlanders

In May 2025, these tests were banned for use on Greenlanders after evidence demonstrated their inappropriateness for their culture. A new specialist unit has been established to review approximately 300 cases where Greenlandic children were removed from their parents.

Historical Context: Greenland and Denmark's Colonial Relationship

The relationship between Greenland and Denmark is deeply rooted in centuries of colonial rule. Following World War II, Denmark initiated a modernization campaign in Greenland, aiming to align its cultural norms with Danish standards. While intended to improve housing, health services, and education, many Greenlanders felt overwhelmed and that Danish cultural norms were dominating their lives without their full participation. Interventions into families and child removals are often based on assumptions about cultural norms that are not suitable for Greenlandic people.

Activism and Advocacy

Campaigners like Tina, co-founder of Sila 360, have been raising concerns for years about the way children are taken from Greenlandic parents. She describes the use of these tests as a "scandal," "shocking," and "dehumanizing," arguing that Danish authorities perceive Greenlandic people as uncivilized, less intelligent, and less privileged.

Case Study: Johanne and Ulrik's Struggle

Johanne's experience illustrates the long-term impact of these policies. In 2010, she was assessed using a parenting competency test without an interpreter, despite Danish being her second language. The assessment concluded she had "mental retardation," and her children were removed due to alleged "physical and psychological neglect" stemming from her "mental health issues."

Nine years later, pregnant again, Johanne and her husband Ulrik faced similar tests. The assessment described Johanne as "childish" and "narcissistic," and Ulrik as "self-centered" and "lacking in empathy." They believed the outcome was predetermined, with a social worker allegedly stating their goal was to have the child put up for adoption.

The Rorschach Test and Cultural Misinterpretation

One of the tests they underwent was the Rorschach test, which analyzes personality based on ink blot interpretations. Johanne's interpretation of an ink blot as a "Greenlandic woman cutting a seal" led to the psychologist's shocked reaction and the comment, "Are you serious? You're such a barbarian!" This highlights how cultural familiarity with practices like hunting, which involves seeing blood from a young age, could be misinterpreted as a sign of concern in a Danish psychological context.

Disproportionate Impact on Greenlandic People

Child removals in Denmark disproportionately affect Greenlandic people, who are estimated to be nearly six times more likely to have their children taken than the general population. While issues like alcoholism and child abuse exist in Greenland, critics argue these can fuel prejudice in child removal decisions.

Permanent Adoption and Lack of Review

Johanne and Ulrik's child was permanently adopted in 2020, and their case is not being reviewed by the government. They express deep pain and frustration at missing their son's milestones and feeling that their case contains "errors and untruths." They feel they have been treated as less than human and "screwed over by the system."

The Official Government Review and Its Limitations

A government review of child removals using parenting competency tests has been initiated. However, progress has been slow, with only 10 cases reviewed in six months, and none resulting in a child's return to their family. The review unit acknowledges the slow pace, attributing it to the need to gather extensive paperwork from municipalities.

Social Affairs Minister's Perspective

Denmark's Social Affairs Minister, leading the review, acknowledges the heartbreaking nature of these cases but emphasizes that the process is more than just the competency tests. She states that adoptions cannot be undone and that the focus must remain on the child's well-being. However, when pressed about the power to act, she reiterates that closed adoption cases cannot be reopened.

Reunification and Ongoing Challenges

Pilunguaq's Case

Pilunguaq's experience demonstrates the complexities of reunification. Her three children were placed in temporary care, but she was subsequently asked to take parenting competency tests. While her youngest daughter was returned after four years, rebuilding the relationship has been difficult. Her daughter exhibits anxiety and fear of abandonment, asking if Pilunguaq is her mother and expressing panic when she leaves the room. Pilunguaq lives with the daily fear of her daughter being taken away again. Her two older children remain in foster care, with their return contingent on her proving her ability to parent her youngest.

Slow Progress and Municipal Cooperation

The slow progress of the official review is attributed to the need for cooperation from municipalities to expedite the process. The lack of immediate returns from the reviewed cases has led to dissatisfaction and calls for greater transparency and action.

Legal Avenues and Future Hope

Johanne and Ulrik's lawyer is pursuing a case at the European Court of Human Rights, seeing it as a potential precedent for other cases. This offers a glimmer of hope for families whose cases are closed and not part of the official review.

Maintaining Cultural Identity

Despite the ongoing struggles, parents are determined to preserve their Greenlandic heritage for their children. Keira is creating a Greenlandic sleigh as a birthday gift for her daughter Zammi, ensuring a piece of her culture is with her.

Government Apology and Future Outlook

When asked if the government should apologize, the Social Affairs Minister stated it was "too early to say," emphasizing the need to look forward as well as back and to collaborate with the Greenlandic government.

Positive Developments and Continued Struggles

Pilunguaq received good news that her two eldest children will be home for good by December, marking a significant step towards family reunification. However, Keira's daughter Zammi will remain in foster care for now, as her first birthday approaches. Johanne and Ulrik continue to hope for their case to be re-evaluated, having baptized their son with the intention of creating a paper trail for him to find them.