Greenlandic Families Battle for Custody: The Impact of 'Biased' Parenting Tests

When Keira's daughter was born last November, she was given two hours with her before the baby was taken into care.

Right when she came out, I started counting the minutes, Keira, 39, recalls. I kept looking at the clock to see how long we had. When the moment came for Zammi to be taken from her arms, Keira says she sobbed uncontrollably, whispering sorry to her baby.

Now Keira is one of many Greenlandic families living on the Danish mainland who are fighting to get their children returned to them after they were removed by social services. In such cases, babies and children were taken away after parental competency tests - known in Denmark as FKUs - were used to help assess whether they were fit to be parents.

Despite a ban on FKUs for Greenlandic families implemented by the Danish government due to decades of criticism, the emotional fallout remains. These tests, which often lead to children being placed in care, are perceived by many as culturally biased. Critics argue they reflect Danish societal norms rather than considerations of different cultural parenting styles and languages.

Statistics show that Greenlandic parents are far more likely to have their children taken into care compared to their Danish counterparts. In 2023, the Danish government pledged to review cases involving these assessments, but progress has been slow.

Keira's experience with the FKUs left her feeling inadequate, with her parenting skills questioned based on insufficient criteria. Similar experiences plague other families, like Johanne and Ulrik, who faced the heartbreaking removal of their son shortly after birth. Their cases highlight the distressing emotional realities and systemic challenges faced by Greenlandic families and the controversial nature of parenting competency assessments.

As of now, while Keira is permitted to see Zammi weekly, the hope for a permanent reunification remains uncertain amidst ongoing discussions and efforts to reconsider these assessments and their outcomes. Their stories shed light on a larger systemic issue that intertwines culture, identity, and the complexities of parenting in a multi-faceted society.