The Danish government will compensate 13 former residents of a youth care home who suffered abuse during their childhood, including sexual abuse, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced Monday.
The former residents filed a complaint against the Danish state in March. Their complaint concerned abuse they experienced while staying at Solgarden, a care facility that operated under state supervision.
Each victim will receive 300,000 Danish kroner as compensation, according to the ministry.
Denmark Acknowledges Failures at Care Home
The Danish Ministry of Social Affairs reviewed records and personal accounts from former residents who stayed at the facility between 1949 and 1976.
The evidence revealed serious and systemic failures during the residents’ time at Solgarden. The ministry acknowledged that the state failed to properly carry out its responsibility to supervise the facility.
Officials also recognized that extensive failures occurred during the period covered by the former residents’ complaint.
The government compensation follows the victims’ efforts to seek accountability for the abuse they experienced while living at the state-supervised facility.
Former Resident Describes Abuse
One former resident, Tove Dohn Lauridsen, spoke publicly about her experience in 2024. She told Danish public radio that she was eight years old when she and her sister suffered repeated sexual abuse at the care home.
Her account added to growing attention around the treatment of children who lived at the facility.
The Lutheran Mission, which operated Solgarden, apologized to all former residents in 2024. The apology followed years of concerns about the treatment of children who stayed at the home.
Government Compensation for Former Residents
The Danish government’s decision provides financial compensation to the 13 former residents who brought the complaint. The payment recognizes the serious failures that occurred while the facility operated under state supervision.
The case also highlights the importance of government oversight at residential care facilities. For the former residents, the compensation marks a formal acknowledgment of the harm they suffered during their childhood.
