Bjarke Mousten-Nielsen, 13, sits on a couch listening to a gameshow on TV in his home in Aarhus, Denmark. It wasn't until Bjarke and his twin brother Sigurd were around two-years-old that his parent's noticed Bjarke's mental development was stalling. Identified with autistic behaviors, Bjarke now spends half his time at home and an institution for children, where he will live permanently once he turns 18. The family has come to accept Bjarke's circumstances, but make's sure he has a meaningful and loving childhood all the same.
Bjarke nestles into the grass in his backyard as his father and brother try to encourage him to come on a family bike ride.
Bjarke and his mother Birthe share a brief embrace while in the middle of a clothing change in the family's bathroom.
Bjake's social worker, left, father and mother sit down for dinner in the kitchen at their home. Getting Bjake to eat when they do comes with its comprises like toys at the table.
His mother says Bjake has strongly repetitive behaviors. Tending to adjustments of furniture and decorations around the house is a daily routine.
When Bjarke is away from home, whether at school or the institution, his parents have a journal for whoever is with Bjarke to write about their day with Bjarke.
Bjake's family goes on a bike ride with a friend of his brother Sigurd to a near-by lake on the weekend. His mother Birthe says he doesn't like the outdoors genreally, but once out riding Bjake enjoys it. Once he turns 18 he will live in a different institution full-time. Even so, Birthe says they would always be able to take Bjarke home for a weekend in they want to.
Sigurd and a friend explore the edge of a dock during a family bike ride to a nearby lake.
Bjarke searches for toys in his room. The bunk-bed which Bjarke and Sigurd used to share remains though Sigurd now has his own room on the other side of the house. Though twins Birthe says there wasn’t ever really a relationship between the two boys. “They live in parallel worlds,” Birthe says. “With the small addition once in a while when Sigurd has this brotherly feeling where he helps Bjarke and wants to take care of him.”
Bjarke runs through the house to get his toys to bring back to the bathroom while the family’s social worker get’s Bjarke ready for bed.
The family sits on the couch in one of the rooms of the house for a portrait. Having Bjarke separated from the family every other week is something Birthe say’s the family has gotten used to. “Think of a family where one of the parents for instance is a business person and is away all the time, “ Birthe says. “I mean it’s fairly easy once you get used to it and that’s just the way it is.”