Denmark's Parenting Test for Greenlandic Mothers Sparked Outrage and Reform

October 2, 2025 - NUUK, Greenland (a Danish possession) - Earlier this year President Donald J. Trump (R) made headlines when he attempted to purchase Greenland (the world's largest island) from Denmark. Critics scoffed at the suggestion and the Danish government rebuffed Trump's efforts; but the people of Greenland have become increasingly alienated from the tiny kingdom on the mainland of Europe that governs their affairs. In recent years, Denmark's use of a controversial parenting test-complete with math and geography questions-to assess Greenlandic mothers' fitness to raise their children ignited protests, legal battles, and ultimately, policy change.

🇩🇰 The FKU Test: A Controversial Gatekeeper

The Forældrekompetenceundersøgelse (FKU), or parenting competency test, was a psychometric evaluation used by Danish child protection authorities to determine whether parents-especially those flagged for welfare concerns-were fit to raise their children. The test included:

• Math problems and factual questions, such as "What is glass made of?" and "What is the name of the big staircase in Rome?"

• Psychological interviews, observations of parent-child interactions, and assessments of cognitive ability, personality, and mental health

• A duration of 15–20 hours over several months, administered by psychologists

While not mandatory for all parents, the test was disproportionately applied to Greenlandic families, often without cultural or linguistic accommodations.

The Case That Sparked a Movement

In August 2025, Ivana Bronlund, an 18-year-old Greenlandic woman living in Denmark, gave birth to a daughter-only to have the child taken by authorities one hour after birth. Officials cited her childhood trauma and deemed her unfit to parent under FKU standards.

Bronlund's case galvanized public protests in both Denmark and Greenland. Critics argued the test was biased against Indigenous Greenlanders, failing to account for cultural norms, kinship systems, and language differences.

Disproportionate Impact on Greenlandic Families

• 5–7% of Greenlandic children in Denmark were placed in foster care, compared to 1% of Danish children

• The FKU test was cited as a major factor in these removals, often based on Western norms of parenting and psychological health

Policy Reversal and Cultural Reckoning

In January 2025, following years of pressure from Indigenous rights groups and the Greenlandic government, Denmark announced it would abolish the FKU test for Greenlandic families, effective May 1.

Greenlandic parents are now assessed by VISO, a special unit trained in Greenlandic culture and language. However, the FKU remains in use for other Danish families flagged by local municipalities.

Broader Implications

The controversy raised urgent questions about:

• Parental rights vs. state intervention

• Cultural bias in child welfare systems

• Post-colonial dynamics between Denmark and Greenland

For many, the Bronlund case became a symbol of systemic injustice-and a call to reimagine child protection through a culturally competent lens. For many Greenlanders the completely unjustified snatching of their children has only added to their dissatisfaction with the socialist dominated Danish government and its "nanny state" agenda. Many Greenlanders support independence. There does not appear to be a consensus among Greenlanders that they apply to join the United States; but there does appear to be a growing dissatisfaction with their overlords. in Copenhagen.

(Brandon Moseley contributed to this article)