What Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste does

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste e.V. (DKD) is a registered German nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in summer 2018 in Dortmund by managing director Thorsten Haase. The organization operates ambulatory children's and youth hospice services (Ambulante Kinder- und Jugendhospizdienste) at six locations in Germany: Dortmund (headquarters), Bochum, Frankfurt am Main, Regensburg, Westerwald/Hachenburg, and Schwerin. Its mission under the slogan 'Wir lassen kein Kind allein!' ('We don't leave any child alone') is to provide free in-home hospice accompaniment, sibling support programs (Löwenbande), social navigation services (Soziallotsen), grief counseling, and bureaucratic guidance to families with life-limiting ill children; DKD explicitly aims to achieve adequate nationwide coverage by 2035.

The core service is delivered through trained volunteers (Ehrenamtliche) produced via a multi-month certification program, supplemented by a small team of paid regional coordinators. Activities are coordinated at the local level, with central fundraising, press, and advocacy handled from Dortmund. DKD differentiates through a proactive 'Hilfegedanke' outreach model in which staff identify affected families through medical and self-help networks rather than waiting for self-referral, addressing what the organization calls the 'Dunkelfeld' of more than 96,000 unserved families in Germany. Beyond ambulatory services, DKD is developing 'Mein Kinderhospiz Frankfurt,' its first stationary inpatient children's hospice, with Böttcher AG providing seed funding and dedicated project lead Stephan Engels.

DKD generates no revenue from service users; all offerings are free. Funding comes from individual donations, corporate giving programs, donation events (sporting events, galas, charity runs), bequests, memorial donations, court-assigned donations, and partial statutory health insurance (Krankenkassen) reimbursement that covers 100% of costs in years 1-2 but only 10-40% thereafter. The organization markets primarily through owned digital channels (website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube/podcast, LinkedIn, Twitch, Threads), PR via Primo PR, community fundraising events, and government/advocacy engagement. No technology platform, AI capabilities, or paid B2B offerings form part of the business; this is a human-services nonprofit competing on volunteer capacity, fundraising reach, and policy advocacy.

Name

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste

Legal name

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste e.V.

Website

https://deutsche-kinderhospiz-dienste.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste e.V. is a German nonprofit operating ambulatory children's hospice services across six locations, providing free in-home volunteer companionship, sibling support, grief counseling, and bureaucratic navigation for families with life-limiting ill children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pediatric Hospice & Palliative In-Home Care (HSABAFAE), Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC), Inpatient Hospice (General Inpatient Care) (HLADAHAB), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO)

Keywords

• Pediatric hospice care
• Children's palliative services
• Family bereavement support
• Volunteer hospice training
• Sibling support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (Einzelspenden): Direct donations from individuals, ranging from one-time gifts to regular monthly contributions. The organization runs campaigns encouraging direct donations.
2. Corporate Donations (Unternehmensspenden): Support from businesses through various campaigns including employee giving programs, cause marketing, and direct corporate contributions.
3. Donation Campaigns and Events: Organized fundraisers including sporting events, concerts, galas, and community drives. Examples include BVB fan club events, charity runs, and corporate challenges.
4. Bequests and Inheritances (Testament und Nachlass): Legacy giving through wills and estates for long-term sustainability.
5. Memorial Donations (Im Trauerfall Spenden): Donations made in memory of deceased loved ones, often facilitated through funeral homes and bereavement services.
6. Court-Assigned Donations (Gerichtszuweisungen): Donations assigned through legal proceedings.
7. Statutory Health Insurance Funding: Government funding from health insurance companies (Krankenkassen). However, funding is inadequate - only 10-40% of actual costs are reimbursed after year 3, with 100% covered by the organization for the first two years.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste provides free, in-home ambulatory hospice and palliative support for families with life-shortening ill children and adolescents across six German regional offices. Services are delivered by certified volunteers and professional coordinators and include weekly companionship for the sick child, sibling support groups (Löwenbande), social counseling/Soziallotsen for bureaucratic navigation, grief counseling, and an online family network ("You Never Walk Alone"). A stationary children's hospice (Mein Kinderhospiz Frankfurt) is being developed.

Product overview

Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste is a non-profit charitable organization providing pediatric hospice and palliative care services. The organization operates a network of mobile outpatient pediatric hospice services (Ambulante Kinder- und Jugendhospizdienste) across six locations in Germany (Bochum, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Regensburg, Westerwald, and Schwerin). Core services include home-based family accompaniment, sibling support groups (Löwenbande), social navigator services, bureaucratic guidance, grief counseling, volunteer training, and the online family network 'You Never Walk Alone'. The organization is developing a stationary pediatric hospice facility ('Mein Kinderhospiz Frankfurt') and maintains public education resources including a podcast 'Wir lassen kein Kind allein!' and downloadable materials. Services are primarily delivered through trained volunteers and professional coordinators, with operations funded through donations and statutory health insurance subsidies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Löwenbande: Sibling support group program for brothers and sisters of severely ill children, with approximately 45 sibling children participating in three age-divided groups.
• You Never Walk Alone
• Soziallotsen

Products and services

• Ambulanter Kinder- und Jugendhospizdienst (Mobile Hospice Service) Home-based hospice accompaniment services for terminally ill children and their families, delivered by trained volunteers across six German locations.
• Löwenbande (Sibling Groups) Sibling support groups for the healthy brothers and sisters of seriously ill children, organized into three age cohorts with participatory activities and outings.
• Soziallotsen (Social Navigators) Guidance service helping families navigate bureaucratic systems, social support providers, and government benefit applications.
• Beratung bei Behördengängen (Government Agency Counseling) Support services for navigating government agencies and applying for social benefits including care allowances and health insurance benefits.
• Trauerbegleitung (Grief Counseling) Grief support services for children, adolescents, and parents dealing with loss and bereavement.
• You Never Walk Alone (Online Family Network) Online platform connecting families with terminally ill children, offering virtual meetings, expert knowledge, and peer support.
• Mein Kinderhospiz Frankfurt (Planned Stationary Pediatric Hospice) Planned stationary pediatric hospice facility in Frankfurt am Main, being developed by Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste as its first inpatient hospice.
• Ehrenamtsausbildung (Volunteer Training) Multi-month training courses preparing volunteers for work in outpatient pediatric hospice services, covering coping with death, grief, illness patterns, communication, and child bereavement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.5% coverage rate for ambulatory hospice services in Germany (DKD aims to dramatically increase this)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hessischer Landtag (Astrid Wallmann)minorOthers · 10 February 2025President of the Hessian State Parliament visited DKD Frankfurt on Children's Hospice Day, showing governmental recognition and support for the organization's work.
• Firma Werit (Kerstin Dorn and Ekkehard Schneider)minorOthers · 1 February 2025Manufacturer with 600+ employees across Europe donated a service vehicle for the Westerwald team to improve coordinator mobility in the rural area.
• Bundesfamilienministerium (Lisa Paus)minorOthers · 8 October 2024Federal Family Minister confirmed the figure of approximately 100,000 affected families, aligning with DKD's advocacy position on the scope of children's hospice needs in Germany.
• Summerfield Kids FoundationcoreOthers · 19 August 2024Foundation supporting the Westerwald location of DKD. Vorstand Matthias Distel (aka Ikke Hüftgold) serves as cooperation partner. Supports the goal of accompanying up to 240 severely ill children and adolescents in the Westerwald region.
• Verband der privaten Erste Hilfe Schulen e.V.minorOthers · 1 January 2024Donated 8,000 EUR to cover first aid course costs for all volunteers trained by DKD at their six locations in 2024.
• Primo PR (Frankfurt)minorOthers · 1 January 2024PR agency supporting DKD with media relations and press work. Contact: Anne Heußner, Am Borsdorfer 13, 60435 Frankfurt am Main.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Kinderhospizdienste: Caritas affiliates operate ambulatory children's hospice services across multiple German dioceses. Comparable in service delivery but as part of a much larger national welfare organization.

Direct peers

• Stiftung Kinderhospiz Sternenbrücke: Children's hospice foundation in Hamburg/Northern Germany providing inpatient and ambulatory pediatric hospice services. Directly comparable in service model and child palliative care focus.
• Kinderhospiz Regenbogenland: Düsseldorf-based children's hospice providing inpatient and ambulatory support for terminally ill children and families. Comparable in service offering and target demographic.
• Björn Schulz Stiftung: Berlin-based foundation operating a children's hospice (BZFO) and ambulatory services for families with life-limited children. Comparable in service mix and target population.
• Sterntaler Kinderhospiz gGmbH: Ambulatory children's hospice service in Wiesbaden/Hesse region. Directly comparable geographic and service overlap with DKD's mission.
• Bundesverband Kinderhospiz e.V. Umbrella association for children's hospice providers in Germany. Comparable as it coordinates and represents the same ecosystem of ambulatory and inpatient pediatric hospice services.
• Kinderhospiz Löwenherz: Bremen-based children's hospice offering inpatient and ambulatory hospice services for life-limited children. Comparable in scope and German pediatric hospice category.
• Kinderhospiz Bärenherz Leipzig: Inpatient and outpatient children's hospice in Leipzig/Saxony. Comparable in mission, service model, and family support programs.
• Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V. Germany's largest children's hospice association, headquartered in Olpe. Provides ambulatory children's hospice services across multiple regions — directly comparable to DKD's core service model and target population.
• Malteser Kinderhospizdienste: Part of Malteser Hilfsdienst, operates ambulatory pediatric hospice services throughout Germany. Directly comparable in service offering, volunteer-based model, and target families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@deutschekinderhospizdienste
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeutschenKinderhospizDienste
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsche-kinderhospizdienste
• Instagraminstagram.com/deutschenkinderhospizdienste

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Deutsche Kinderhospiz Dienste