At just gone 2 p.m., ten-year-old Marie Storgaard lets herself into the family’s detached house in Grindsted. Her parents won’t be back from work until around four, so she’s on her own. She feeds her rabbit, and then the afternoon opens up in front of her — long and largely empty. Most days she ends up on the sofa with the TV on, or scrolling on her phone.
“Many might think it’s pretty exciting to be home and make your own choices, but it can also feel a bit lonely,” she admits.
What she really wants is a leisure club — somewhere she could play games or do creative things with friends. But the municipality’s policies have closed that door. She’s in fourth grade and lives in Billund Municipality, and that means no access to such facilities once third grade is done.
Home of the Children’s Capital
The irony is hard to miss. Billund Municipality sells itself as the ‘Children’s Capital.’
“We aspire to be the best place in the world for children and families, championing children’s well-being, play, and learning,” the municipality’s website proudly proclaims. Marie’s mother, Michelle Storgaard, looks at that claim and sees something quite different on the ground.
“It’s essential that we nurture children’s communities and support them in making social connections instead of leaving them isolated at home,” she states.
Marie does have friends she sees and playdates that happen — but her mother thinks there’s a real gap between that and being part of a bigger group in a proper leisure setting.
“It’s part of Billund Municipality’s vision to foster strong communities for children, which makes it surprising that such offerings are lacking at this age,” Michelle reflects.
An Extra Year in SFO
By 2026, something will change — at least on paper. The municipal board has committed to allocating DKK 250,000 annually to expand after-school services, letting fourth graders stay in the SFO for one more year.
“We want to gauge the demand among parents and children for this service,” shares Bjarne Larsen (V), chair of the Children and Family Committee in the municipality.
For Marie, though, that’s not quite it.
“The SFO is fine, but we’re older now, and we want something different,” she explains.
Her mother thinks the detail matters — that whatever is put in place has to actually reflect what the kids themselves want.
“It’s vital to engage the children in discussions about what they find exciting. What dreams do they have, and how can we help them pursue those?” asks Michelle Storgaard.
