Norway Has Fewer and Fewer Children. New Proposals Aim to Encourage Starting Families

The report was submitted on February 9. Its aim is to halt the decline in the number of births in Norway. According to the team, more and more people are remaining childless. A low birth rate means fewer people in the workforce in the future.

Young people are entering adulthood later and later. This applies to education, the job market, and housing situation. This delays decisions about having children. There are also more health problems related to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. These concern both physical and mental health. There is a growing number of women giving birth at an older age, which affects the course of pregnancy and delivery.

The commission points to the need for a smoother transition between preschool care and education. The importance of strengthening vocational education was also emphasized. It was suggested that shortening the current ten-year primary school cycle could contribute to earlier stabilization.

The commission points to the need to increase the supply of housing and to consider measures to limit the rise in property prices. Entering the housing market earlier may make it easier to have children sooner. The rapid increase in housing prices relative to income may eventually become a barrier for people with low incomes. This especially affects families who do not receive financial support from their parents.

The team leader points out that the long time needed to find suitable family housing can lead to postponing decisions about having children. High housing costs can also limit the real possibility of using entitlements such as reduced working hours during early parenthood.

A key proposal is a smooth transition from parental leave to preschool care. They propose introducing continuous enrollment in kindergartens. All children would be entitled to a place from the age of one. Parents could simultaneously use 70 weeks of leave with 70 percent compensation.

The report also calls for additional support for parents under 30. This includes increasing parental benefits by NOK 25,000. A reduction of student debt by NOK 25,000 is also planned. One proposal is to extend family benefits for parents under the age of 30.

The report indicates that improving the balance between work and family life may make it easier to have more than two children. Eleven out of twelve team members propose a pilot program for reduced working hours for parents of young children. This is intended to reduce overload in the first years of parenthood.

They also recommend reviewing parental leave regulations and better informing parents about their rights at work. Strengthening after-school care programs and analyzing the possibility of providing practical help at home were also proposed.

Minister for Children and Families Lene Vågslid received the report on behalf of the government. She highlighted the importance of reducing time pressure in family life. Data show that the fertility rate fell from 1.98 children per woman in 2009 to 1.4 in 2023. There was a slight increase in 2024 and 2025. At the same time, studies show that both Norwegian men and women want to have more children than they actually do. The government announced further work on a comprehensive family policy.