LauraLynn, Ireland's Children's Hospice, is proud to launch its 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements, showcasing a year of exceptional progress, national impact, and unwavering support from our community. Governance, transparency and accountability remain central to LauraLynn's operations, and our Annual Report demonstrates how resources are managed and the difference our services make to children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Ireland.
As the second year of our strategic plan, Advancing Our Vision: Extending Our Community of Care (2024-2028), 2025 saw significant progress across all six strategic ambitions, from expanding access to hospice care and enhancing disability services to strengthening advocacy, research, education and long-term sustainability.
A Message from Our CEO
Hospice Services
2025 was our busiest year to date. A total of 409 children and their families received direct support from LauraLynn, while 771 families were part of our Hospice Community of Care, the highest number in our history.
We received a record 145 referrals and welcomed 128 new children to our services. Our community teams delivered 3,901 home visits across all 26 counties, ensuring families could access specialist care closer to home. LauraLynn House provided 574 admissions and supported 184 children, while our Family Support Team delivered 3,140 targeted interventions to 370 families, including therapy, bereavement and psychosocial supports.
Disability Services
Our disability services continued to provide high-quality, person-centered care through both Hazel House and Willow View.
Hazel House, our children's disability respite service, supported 53 children and families, providing 1,214 respite nights during the year and welcoming 12 new children. Significant progress was made on the development of a new Model of Care and enhancing the service environment.
Willow View continued its Transforming Lives journey, supporting six adult residents through a rights-based transition process towards more independent, community-based living, while maintaining the highest standards of care and support.
Advocacy, Awareness and Education
Advocacy remained a key priority throughout 2025. LauraLynn successfully secured the inclusion of key children's palliative care commitments within the Programme for Government and continued to engage with Government and policymakers to advance a new national children's palliative care policy.
Children's Hospice Week 2025, under the theme "Every Step, Every Challenge, Together", helped amplify the voices of families across Ireland and highlighted the realities of caring for a child with palliative needs. The campaign was officially launched by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and significantly increased public awareness of children's palliative care.
Research and education also remained central to our mission, including ongoing collaboration with the Irish Hospice Foundation and participation in the national Evidence for Children's Palliative Care in Ireland (ECHPI) research project.
Celebrating 100 Years of Care
A major milestone in 2025 was the celebration of 100 years of care on the grounds of what is now LauraLynn. The A Century of Light event honoured the legacy of The Children's Sunshine Home, founded in 1925, while recognising the families, staff, volunteers and supporters who have shaped LauraLynn's story over the past century.
Funding and Financial Overview
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, LauraLynn raised a record €12.3 million in 2025, making it our strongest fundraising year ever.
Highlights included:
- The 24 Hour Treadmill Challenge, which raised over €140,000
- A record-breaking Summer Raffle, raising €324,000
- The Microsoft Charity Cycle, which raised €306,000
- Significant growth in gifts in wills and major donor support
LauraLynn's main sources of income continue to be:
- Section 38 Service Agreement funding from the HSE for our Disability Services.
- Fundraised income and donations that support our Hospice Service, alongside €2.8 million in HSE funding under a Section 39 Service Agreement.
Our financial position remains strong, enabling continued investment in services, workforce development, advocacy and the future expansion of care for children and families across Ireland.
As always, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our children and families, staff, volunteers, donors, fundraisers, corporate partners and dedicated Board of Directors. Your support makes it possible for LauraLynn to provide specialist care, comfort and hope to families across Ireland when they need it most.
For more details, please read our full 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements here.
