Child-Friendly Design – Olgäle Foundation for the Sick Child e.V.

The Olgäle Foundation for Sick Children e.V. supports child-friendly interior design at the Olgahospital Stuttgart with the aim of making hospital visits as pleasant as possible for young patients and their families. Public institutions in Baden-Württemberg can apply for grants for painting and design work as well as for furnishing waiting and play areas that are specifically tailored to the needs and fears of young visitors. The room design relies on friendly, colorful motifs, age-appropriate furniture, and interactive elements to create an atmosphere where worries and stress recede into the background. Already at the opening of the new building in 2014, the foundation implemented a significant design concept that today serves as a model for further projects.

The funding supports all measures of interior design, from wall painting to the furnishing of play and reading corners. The focus is on psychosocial care: through a lively environment, hospital clowns, social educators, and therapists can contribute even more effectively to reducing fears and enabling positive experiences. Together with parent initiatives and medical professionals, the foundation thus creates homely retreats and family-friendly common rooms. Through this commitment, it makes a valuable contribution to health promotion and the well-being of seriously ill children and adolescents in Stuttgart by embedding medical care and psychosocial support in a child-appropriate environment.