From worker investment to family investment: Shifting logics of child welfare in Denmark, 1920s–1970s

This article examines the historical evolution of social investment in Denmark, focusing on placed-out children from the 1920s to the 1970s. The study introduces two key concepts: Worker Investment and Family Investment . Worker Investment pertains to the period from the 1920s to the 1950s, where children were primarily valued for their future skills-based economic productivity. Family Investment characterizes the 1960s to the 1970s, marked by a new emphasis on parents and family intimacy, aimed at developing children's social skills to foster future democratic citizens. By tracing the evolution of these investment logics, the study uncovers the ideologies, motivations, and priorities shaping child welfare policies. This historical analysis highlights the welfare state's dual aim of safeguarding children in the present while preparing them for their future roles.