A Danish mother has faced five years of administrative chaos in Holstebro Municipality, where constant staff turnover in the family department has left her case unresolved and her family struggling without needed support.
Five Years, Fifteen Caseworkers
For Camilla Mortensen from Holstebro, western Denmark, navigating the welfare system has turned into a full-time fight. According to case documents reviewed by DR News, nearly forty different employees have been involved in her family’s file since 2019. About fifteen of them served as her main caseworkers. Each time someone new took over, the process began again.
Her case started when her son developed severe school refusal. She applied for compensation for lost earnings so she could help him attend school. Now the issue centers on whether her son will receive support hours while at a boarding school. The shifting staff and delays have left the family without clear answers for years.
High Staff Turnover and Mounting Frustration
Holstebro Municipality recorded a remarkably high staff turnover rate in 2024. About 37 percent of the family department’s employees left their positions that year, equaling 31 resignations. Between 2020 and 2024, a total of 95 employees left, weakening continuity in handling complex social cases. Researchers from Copenhagen Business School describe this as a structural problem that leadership, not individual caseworkers, must resolve.
This level of staff rotation is not unique to Holstebro. A national survey by research institute VIVE found that almost one in four child and youth advisors in Denmark leave their jobs within a year. The result is a widespread challenge across social services, disrupting continuity for families in vulnerable situations. Similar instability has also been reported in childcare services, as revealed in a recent report on Denmark’s daycare sector.
A Vicious Circle of Pressure and Resignation
In Holstebro, experts warn that high turnover often triggers a downward spiral. When experienced staff leave, the workload increases for those remaining, causing stress, burnout, and eventually more resignations. In 2021, the Danish Working Environment Authority even issued a formal order against the municipality because employees were under constant time pressure and burdened with too many cases.
Municipal leaders say the situation has improved. The director of Children and Youth, Helle Støve, claims working conditions today are better and staff numbers more stable. As of October 2025, only seven employees have resigned this year. The average caseload per caseworker has also fallen from 34 to 27 cases. She emphasizes that the department now focuses on creating stability and continuity for families.
Families Feel the Impact
For families like the Mortensens, however, the damage has already been done. Each time a caseworker changes, the family must retell their story and resubmit documentation. The long delays have made their son more isolated, as his condition worsened while he waited for promised help. It reflects a broader concern across Danish municipalities, where families increasingly report slow case handling and uncertainty about whether legal deadlines are being met.
This trend arises in a wider national debate about Denmark’s social welfare system. A growing number of families worry that welfare cuts and understaffed departments are eroding access to the support they once relied on. Similar systemic stress has been observed in other welfare areas, such as those tied to recent welfare budget cuts leading to homelessness concerns.
Leadership Responsibility and Reforms
Camilla Mortensen believes the problem runs deeper than individual caseworkers. In her view, leadership fails to grant employees the authority to make timely decisions. Holstebro recently appointed a new section head with direct responsibility for the family department, aiming to strengthen management and coordination.
Scholars agree that the municipality’s difficulties stem from leadership issues rather than worker performance. They argue that municipal councils must take responsibility for ensuring citizens receive proper service, even in times of staff shortages.
At the same time, cities like Copenhagen and Odense are testing new approaches to improve consistency across welfare and housing services. These efforts align with national initiatives to improve stability in areas such as housing reforms designed to prevent social displacement.
Signs of Progress but Deep Challenges Remain
While Holstebro reports progress in retaining staff this year, experts stress that long-term change depends on continuous political and managerial attention. Reducing turnover and rebuilding trust among affected families will take time. For Camilla Mortensen and others caught in the system, those improvements cannot come fast enough.
Sources and References
DR: 15 Caseworkers in Five Years – Camilla’s Case Goes Nowhere
The Danish Dream: Danish Daycare in Crisis – Families Left With Less Options
The Danish Dream: Denmark’s Welfare Cuts Spark Homelessness Concerns
The Danish Dream: Denmark’s Housing Reforms Prevent Social Displacement
