The Family Law House in Denmark is under fire for failing to meet its goals of reducing waiting times for families undergoing separation. Despite receiving significant extra funding, the agency is facing increasing criticism from multiple sources, including the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the National Audit Office, the Data Protection Agency, and the Danish Family Lawyers. This comes as families experience extended delays in case processing, leading to frustration and potential harm to children.

The core issue revolves around the Family Law House’s inability to address long waiting lists, a problem that has persisted and even worsened since its establishment in 2019. The agency was formed with the explicit aim of shortening processing times to alleviate stress on families dealing with custody, residency, and visitation issues. However, many families now wait months for initial meetings and subsequent case resolutions, sometimes up to six to nine months in high-conflict situations.

A recent evaluation report by VIVE (The National Research and Analysis Center for Welfare) further highlighted the agency’s shortcomings. The report revealed a decline in the proportion of parents who felt they received adequate help from the Family Law House, dropping from 44 percent before the reform to 30 percent currently. Critically, the report failed to thoroughly examine the issue of waiting lists, a major structural challenge hindering the agency’s effectiveness.

The consequences of these delays can be severe, particularly for children. In some cases, children are left without contact with one parent or exposed to violence, abuse, or mental illness while awaiting case resolution. The Danish Family Lawyers emphasize the need for structural changes and offer their expertise to help improve the system, arguing that the current situation is detrimental to families and future generations.