The family audiobook
What we stand for
The Familienhörbuch gGmbH is an independent and non-profit organization based in Cologne. Since 2019, we have been producing professional biographical audiobooks for seriously ill parents with underage children. A family audiobook is a future gift for children who orphan early. When a parent becomes seriously ill and the goodbye becomes inevitable, children and families are under high emotional strain. In this situation, we enable mothers and fathers to tell their life story as a professionally produced audiobook. This creates a lasting memory for the children.
The focus is on biographical work. Parents leave behind their life story, formative experiences, values and personal messages. The audiobook is permanently preserved as an authentic voice. The mothers and fathers are accompanied by professional audio biographers and design photo: Selina Pfrüner The family audiobook for children of seriously ill parents her audiobook individually. You choose memories, music or texts and can speak or sing in different languages. Languages of origin and family language habits remain audible and help children retain their cultural and family identity.
We work with trained audio biographers and professional sound designers. The discussions are journalistically structured, professionally accompanied and implemented in high-quality audio technology. The storyteller decides what they want to share. The power of interpretation lies solely with the participants. The production takes place individually and is oriented towards the living environment of the child and his family.
The offer is free of charge and is financed exclusively by donations. This gives access to all families, regardless of their origin, income or social situation.
Our vision
All children of seriously ill parents should have access to a professionally produced family audiobook – in reliable quality and on a financially sustainable basis.
Our mission
We provide underage children of terminally ill mothers and fathers with a professionally designed family audiobook – with the voice of their parents.
A personally designed audio piece with memories, values and answers to the question: ‘Who were you, Mom/Dad?’
Close to time. Free of charge. Unbureaucratic.
We act responsibly and quality-oriented within the scope of our professional and organizational possibilities. In doing so, we ensure sustainable structures and a professional working environment
Our values and our mission
1. Children and families in the centre
Our focus is on children and their families. When a parent falls seriously ill, a family's life changes fundamentally. We accompany families in a life situation marked by illness, farewell and deep insecurity, creating space for love, memory and connection.
Each family audiobook arises from the relationship between parent and child and is personally designed and professionally accompanied in dialogue with audio biographers. Parents decide what they want to tell. We make sure that content is classified sensitively and remains well audible for children in the long term. We take responsibility for emotional and methodological quality as well as for a professional handling with incriminating issues. Psycho-oncological counseling sIt is available to support if needed.
What is important to us
- Orientation to the perspective of the children
- Strengthening parents in their role and relief in biographical storytelling as well as self-determination in design
- careful discussion and clear structure
- Careful handling of sensitive content
- Respect for parents' self-determination
2. Supplement to the supply system
The family audiobook does not replace therapeutic or palliative accompaniment. It adds a dimension to existing structures that is often missing: Time, listening and biographical meaning. We create relief by giving parents the opportunity to tell their story, whether they are accompanied in clinics, hospices or at home. Clinics, hospices and psychosocial services refer families to us when the need for biographical transmission arises. Our offer is accessible nationwide and low-threshold.
Our promise
- universal accessibility
- Cooperation with palliative care structures
- Low-threshold access
3. Effect and quality
A family audiobook does not prevent pain and does not replace grief work. Nevertheless, our work works – at the time of the illness and beyond. Children receive a memory with the voice of the mother or father, families actively shape a part of their farewell process.
Creating a family audiobook requires a high level of self-reflection, knowledge, and attitude. All this is a prerequisite for carrying out such an activity for the benefit of parents and children. Quality comes from professional training, clear standards, continuous reflection and evaluation. In cooperation with research and practice, we continuously develop our work and contribute to making topics such as memory, grief and belonging more visible to society.
What makes us special
- Research and impact orientation
- continuous further development
- Social visibility of our topics
- high quality standards in reception and production
- Complementing existing supply structures
- Scientific accompaniment
4. Principle of solidarity
The family audiobook is free of charge for families and is financed by donations. This principle of solidarity allows access regardless of income, background or living situation. We work interdenominationally and create an offer for all families with children (not only in traditional family forms).
Our offer is:
- unbureaucratic
- income-independent
- Needs-based
- nationwide and abroad
English