Background The Family Support & Bereavement Service has adopted Minecraft to support children and young people in pre and post bereavement counselling. This initiative aims to overcome the barriers often associated with traditional therapy, such as stigma and the rigidity of conventional settings.

Aim The aim is to create a safe, flexible space where children and young people can process grief and express their emotions through engaging and therapeutic activities, particularly those who might find traditional counselling challenging.

Method Minecraft Education, a virtual sandbox game, serves as the therapeutic platform. Counsellors underwent training in the therapeutic use of Minecraft in July 2023, employing techniques like ‘Helicoptering,’ the ‘Anger Iceberg’, and virtual housebuilding to help children and young people process grief. Personalized notebooks containing snapshots of their virtual worlds offer tangible reinforcement of therapeutic progress and can be kept private or shared as they choose to.

Results The integration of Minecraft has garnered positive feedback from children and young people, parents, and schools. The virtual environment encourages children and young people to express themselves more freely, fostering stronger connections with counsellors and gaining valuable insights into their world. This method has been particularly effective in engaging boys and younger teens who often find traditional therapy less appealing. The personalized notebooks serve as a tangible reminder of the therapeutic journey and support ongoing discussions beyond formal sessions.

Conclusion The Family Support & Bereavement team is leading the way by integrating Minecraft into its counselling for children and young people facing pre and post bereavements, a first for UK hospices. This innovative approach shows broader potential, including supporting clients with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, and young adults. By providing a flexible and engaging environment, the hospice is redefining digital therapy and meeting the unique needs of children and young people in ways that traditional counselling may not.