Greenland families call for bereavement leave after loss of a child

Grønlandske familier efterlyser tid til at komme sig efter tabet af et barn, reports Danish broadcaster DR.

Greenland’s government should introduce paid bereavement leave for parents who lose a child, according to Rosannguaq Rossen, head of personnel development in the capital municipality of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq. Currently, most grieving parents receive just eight days off before returning to work—a period she calls insufficient for processing trauma.

“No one can cope with going back to work just days after a burial,” Rossen said, speaking from her experience supporting bereaved families. She argues that without proper time to grieve, parents cannot fully reintegrate into society or the workforce.

Denmark introduced six months of paid bereavement leave in 2021, a model Rossen suggests Greenland could adapt. While some Danish parents report needing less than the full period, she proposes a shorter but dedicated leave—two to three months—as a minimum. “Even a few months of uninterrupted time to grieve would give people the strength to contribute again,” she said.

Cost estimates from Greenland’s Department of Social Affairs, based on 2023 data, place the annual expense of a 26-week leave at approximately 2.6 million Danish kroner. The figure accounts for an average of 17 child deaths per year among those under 18, affecting up to 24 employed parents annually.

Discussions on bereavement leave stalled after Greenland’s 2025 government change. A 2023 parliamentary query by then-MP Peter Olsen (IA) confirmed the financial feasibility, but the current administration has not advanced the proposal. The social affairs department and relevant minister did not respond to requests for comment.

Rossen, who lost her teenage son three years ago, emphasizes the long-term societal benefits. Without adequate leave, she notes, grieving parents often take extended sick leave, reduce work hours permanently, or face unresolved trauma. “You can’t contribute as you once did if you haven’t had time to grieve,” she said.

Her municipality recently partnered with the Danish Centre for Families and Grief to distribute a Greenlandic-adapted guide on workplace bereavement, available in West Greenlandic, East Greenlandic, and Danish.