Growing up in a Asylum Center
54 children in Denmark have grown up in an asylum center and still live there.
Among them is five-year-old Numan, who has lived in three different asylum centers and enjoys eating muffins and playing with water guns. And four-year-old Maya, who dreams of living in a real house like her friends from kindergarten.
A series of parliamentary responses from the Ministry of Immigration and Integration from January 2025 show that 54 children in Denmark have spent most or all of their lives in a departure or asylum center. They were born while their parents lived there, and they still live there today.
Most of them attend school or kindergarten, but their families must report to the authorities several times a week and request permission if they wish to leave for an extended weekend. Several studies, including those from the Red Cross, have also shown that children in these centers experience "significant symptoms of psychological distress," such as reduced appetite, frequent nightmares, and sleep problems.
Over the course of a year, we met with Numan, Maya, and six other children to gain a small insight into their dreams and daily lives. Along the way, two of the families were granted residence permits.
Delan, 7 år, Noah, 10 år, Maya, 4 år, Numan, 5 år, Delin, 3 år, Delvin, 3 år, Milad 4 år
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