What Barenherz Foundation does

Bärenherz Stiftung für schwerstkranke Kinder (Barenherz Foundation) is a private law nonprofit foundation (Stiftung des privaten Rechts) established in 2002 in Wiesbaden, Germany, operating a children's hospice and integrated family support services. Its core offering is a stationary children's hospice providing round-the-clock medical, nursing, and therapeutic care (including music therapy and hippotherapy) for children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting illnesses, complemented by ambulatory hospice services delivered in families' homes. The foundation extends its care continuum into prenatal palliative counseling for parents experiencing perinatal loss (Sterneneltern), social-medical aftercare, specialized grief counseling for children and adults, and a memorial forest (Lebenswäldchen) for remembrance.

The foundation also operates a volunteer program (Bärenamt), a professional Palliative Counseling training course delivered in cooperation with the Wiesbadener Institut für Methoden der Soziale Arbeit, and a child-facing educational section ("Bär erklärt") using the Bärti mascot. All family-facing services are provided free of charge, funded through a mix of donations from individuals and corporate partners, legacy gifts, statutory health insurance (Krankenkasse) reimbursements for hospice care, and small fee-based revenue from the continuing-education program. Its operating footprint is regional, concentrated in the state of Hesse, with 101–250 staff and headquarters at Bahnstraße 13, Wiesbaden.

Name

Barenherz Foundation

Legal name

Bärenherz Stiftung für schwerstkranke Kinder

Website

https://baerenherz.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bärenherz Stiftung is a Wiesbaden-based nonprofit foundation operating a children's hospice that delivers inpatient and ambulatory palliative care, bereavement support, and family services free of charge to families of children with life-limiting illnesses in Hesse, Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Hospice Care

NAICS

Other Residential Care Facilities (62399), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pediatric Hospice & Palliative In-Home Care (HSABAFAE), Non-Hospice Serious-Illness / Community-Based Palliative Care (In-Home) (HSABAFAF), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK), In-Home Hospice Physician / Nurse Practitioner Visits (HSABAFAM)

Keywords

• Children's hospice care
• Pediatric palliative care
• Grief counseling
• Family support services
• Hospice home visits

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation is funded primarily through donations from individuals, organizations, and corporate partners. Donations are solicited through the website, events, and direct appeals.
2. Statutory Health Insurance Reimbursement: Services are funded by statutory health insurance (Krankenkasse) as children's hospice care is covered under German healthcare regulations. Families receive care at no cost.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bärenherz Stiftung operates a residential and ambulatory children's hospice offering holistic, individualized care for children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting illnesses and their families in the Wiesbaden/Hesse region of Germany. Services are provided free of charge and include inpatient hospice care, outpatient home-visit services, prenatal palliative counseling for families experiencing perinatal loss, social-medical aftercare, pediatric and adult grief counseling, complementary therapies (music therapy, hippotherapy), and a memorial forest. Funding is sourced from statutory health insurance (Krankenkasse) and charitable donations.

Product overview

Bärenherz Stiftung operates as a children's hospice foundation offering a comprehensive portfolio of care services for children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families. The core offering is the stationary children's hospice in Wiesbaden providing round-the-clock care, complemented by outpatient hospice services that bring support directly to families' homes. The foundation provides specialized prenatal palliative counseling for families experiencing the loss of babies (Sternenkinder), social-medical aftercare, and grief counseling for children, adolescents, and adults. Additional services include a volunteer program (Bärenamt), a memorial forest (Lebenswäldchen), and professional education programs such as Palliative Counseling training. All services are provided free of charge to families, funded through donations and health insurance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stationäres Kinderhospiz Bärenherz (Inpatient Children's Hospice) Residential hospice facility in Wiesbaden offering round-the-clock care, accommodation, and holistic support for children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting illnesses and their entire family unit. Includes respite stays, end-of-life care, and crisis support. Services provided free of charge.
• Ambulante Kinder- und Jugendhospizdienste (Outpatient Children's and Youth Hospice Services) Ambulatory hospice services that bring care assistance, emotional support, and practical help directly to families in their own homes for children with life-limiting illnesses, including sibling and parent support. Services provided free of charge across the Hesse region.
• Pränatale Palliative Beratung & Begleitung von Sterneneltern (Prenatal Palliative Counseling and Support for Star Parents) Prenatal palliative counseling and ongoing support for parents experiencing the loss of a baby before, during, or shortly after birth. Designed for families affected by stillbirth or perinatal loss.
• Sozialmedizinische Nachsorge (Social-Medical Aftercare) Social-medical aftercare services supporting families during the transition from inpatient hospital care to home/outpatient care, providing practical and clinical continuity for children with complex medical needs.
• Fachstelle Kinder- und Jugendtrauer (Specialized Pediatric and Adolescent Grief Counseling) Specialized counseling center offering individual and group grief support for children and adolescents who have lost a parent, sibling, or other significant person.
• Trauerbegleitung (Bereavement/Grief Counseling for Adults) Bereavement counseling and support services for parents, siblings, and family members following the death of a child, delivered by trained grief counselors.
• Bärenherz Lebenswäldchen (Memorial Forest) Memorial forest site near Wiesbaden where bereaved families can plant trees and roses in remembrance of children who have died, providing a dedicated place of commemoration connected to the ambulatory hospice service.
• Palliative Counseling Weiterbildung (Palliative Counseling Continuing Education Program) Five-day professional continuing-education course in palliative counseling, priced at EUR 600, teaching systemic conversation techniques for complex hospice and palliative care situations. Delivered in cooperation with Wiesbadener Institut für Methoden der Soziale Arbeit.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wiesbadener Institut für Methoden der Soziale ArbeitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative partnership for the Palliative Counseling continuing education program. The course is led by Prof. Dr. Christian Schütte-Bäumner and held at the Kinderhospiz Bärenherz facility. The 5-day course costs 600 EUR and provides professional communication training for complex situations in hospice and palliative care.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kinderhospiz Löwenherz: Syke-based children's hospice providing inpatient and ambulatory pediatric palliative care with a strong volunteer model. Directly comparable scope and target population.
• Björn Schulz Stiftung: Berlin-based foundation providing inpatient and ambulatory pediatric hospice and aftercare services. Comparable as a German nonprofit foundation offering integrated pediatric palliative and bereavement care.
• Kinder- und Jugendhospiz Bethel: Bielefeld-based children's and youth hospice run by v. Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel. Comparable in providing inpatient and ambulatory pediatric hospice, bereavement, and family support services in Germany.
• Stiftung Kinderhospiz Sterntaler: Hof-based children's hospice foundation providing inpatient and ambulatory pediatric palliative care. Comparable as a regional German nonprofit foundation with a similar service portfolio.
• Kinderhospiz Regenbogenland: Düsseldorf children's hospice offering inpatient care, ambulatory services, and family/bereavement support. Comparable as a regional German pediatric hospice with similar service mix.
• Kinderhospiz Sternenbrücke: Hamburg-based children's hospice offering inpatient and ambulatory palliative care for life-limiting pediatric patients. Closely comparable as a German pediatric hospice with similar residential and home-service portfolio.
• Ambulantes Kinderhospiz München: Munich-based ambulatory children's hospice delivering home-based palliative care for families across Bavaria. Comparable ambulatory model serving families in their homes.

Broad incumbents

• Malteser Kinderhospiz- und Jugendhospizdienste: National Malteser organization operating children's hospice services across Germany. Comparable in delivering pediatric hospice, ambulatory services, and bereavement support, with broader geographic reach.
• Bundesverband Kinderhospiz: National umbrella association of German children's hospices. Comparable as the sector-wide advocacy, networking, and standards body that Bärenherz participates in for policy and referrals.
• Deutscher Kinderhospizverein: National German association supporting families of children with life-limiting illnesses through ambulatory hospice services. Comparable in mission and ambulatory care delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KinderhospizBärenherzWiesbaden
• Facebookfacebook.com/KinderhospizWiesbaden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bärenherz-stiftung-für-schwerstkranke-kinder
• Instagraminstagram.com/baerenherz_wiesbaden
• Xx.com/baerenherzen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Barenherz Foundation