German Children's Hospice Association

The Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V. (DKHV e.V.) is a German non-profit association dedicated to children's and youth hospice work. According to its official website, it has been regarded for over 30 years as a pioneer of children's and youth hospice work in Germany, accompanying children, adolescents and young adults with life-limiting illnesses as well as their parents and siblings from diagnosis through life, dying and beyond death. It offers families a protected forum for exchange, networking and self-help, and operates over 30 outpatient children's and youth hospice services (AKHD) nationwide. The Deutsche Kinderhospizakademie provides educational and encounter offerings. Nationwide activities include the Tag der Kinderhospizarbeit on 10 February, the Deutsches Kinderhospizforum and the awarding of the Deutscher Kinderhospizpreis. As a nationwide professional organization it represents the interests of affected families in society, healthcare and politics. As a non-profit association it finances its work largely through donations.

On 10 February 1990, 6 families with children with life-limiting illnesses joined together to form the Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V. The association offered, for the first time in Germany, a forum where affected people in similar life situations could exchange and strengthen each other, giving rise to a vital self-help movement. Over the following years a solidarity-based contact with the English children's hospice movement developed, and the main goal crystallized: to build a stationary children's hospice modeled on the English example. In 1994 family seminars were launched, where the many thoughts and feelings arising in interaction with the sick children could meet and unfold creatively, with specialist speakers brought in for support. In 1997 the association found an engaged cooperation partner for the construction of a children's hospice in the non-profit Gesellschaft der Franziskanerinnen zu Olpe (GFO). In 1998 the first stationary children's hospice in Germany was opened in Olpe in cooperation with the GFO, which took over sponsorship; both partners jointly developed the basic concept for the Kinderhospiz Balthasar. In 2004 the Deutscher Kinderhospizverein began building and networking outpatient children's hospice services in Germany, following the needs of children with life-limiting illnesses and their families as a complement to the stationary offering.

Pioneer of children's and youth hospice work in Germany and nationwide professional organization representing affected families.

1. 1Kinder- und Jugendhospizarbeit: Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V.dkhv.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichte: Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V.dkhv.de
3. 3Deutscher Kinderhospizvereinwikidata.org