The parents often don't have enough strength, attention and time to give the siblings of terminally ill children, adolescents and young adults during their exhausting daily care routine.
The Sternenbrücke children’s hospice therefore places great value on providing imaginative care and support for siblings. This takes place every day between 2 and 6 p.m., because the morning is reserved for the family.
Our professional educators are aware of the special situation of the siblings they provide support for. During the getting-to-know-each-other phase our educators initially focus on meeting the children in a playful environment; this builds trust and gives them a feeling of security.
During their stay at the Sternenbrücke the siblings have access to their own rooms and activities which are above all designed to be fun:
- The Creative Room for siblings on the ground floor can be used to paint and make handicrafts with our educators.
- Another save haven for the siblings is the Recreation Room on the top floor. Here siblings and their parents can spend quality time with each other without the focus being on caring for the sick child. They can play pool and board games here, watch television and use the computer with internet access.
- There are also two playgrounds for outdoor activities: for younger children in the protected courtyard of the children's hospice and for the slightly older children there is a playground in the large garden, which includes a climbing frame and a mudslide.
- In the kitchen the siblings can bake and cook under the supervision of our educators.
- In the disabled-friendly Playroom they can play and chat with their sick siblings.
The main focus of all the activities is self-determination and autonomy. They are all guided by the interests, wishes, needs and individual abilities of the children who our educational staff lovingly devote their time to. As they experience and engage with different kinds of toys and materials, the children of different ages are able to express their perceptions, feelings, ideas and thoughts. Joint activities and excursions in and around Hamburg are also frequently on offer. Depending on how old they are, the siblings, accompanied by our educators, can visit the nearby wildlife preserve, playgrounds, cinemas, museums, exhibitions, theatre performances, concerts and sports events.