Using Minecraft to support bereaved children and young people
Posted: 03 June 2025
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Find out how KEMP Hospice’s Family Support and Bereavement service has adopted Minecraft to help support children and young people during pre- and post-bereavement counselling.
KEMP Hospice wanted to create a safe, flexible space for children and young people to process their grief, before and after bereavement. They noticed that some children find it challenging to engage with traditional models of counselling.
The team began to use Minecraft Education as a therapeutic platform in July 2023.
Minecraft is a ‘sandbox’ game, which means players are free to explore and build whatever they like (rather than solely having to complete challenges in order to move through different levels). It can provide a safe space for children to build their own virtual worlds in which they can express their grief.
Counsellors can facilitate a range of activities to help start therapeutic discussions. These might include building a virtual house, designing a memory garden, or using an ‘anger iceberg’ to help express emotions.
Outcomes
The hospice has received positive feedback from children, parents and schools about the use of Minecraft in bereavement counselling sessions.
Children and young people are often able to express themselves more freely in the Minecraft virtual world. Historically, boys and younger teenagers have found it less comfortable to engage in talking therapies. Using Minecraft has been very successful at helping them to open up.
KEMP Hospice won the Poster Award for this project at Hospice UK’s National Conference in 2024.
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"[The counsellor] has helped me to make a memory garden for Dad on Minecraft and helped me understand my grief."
Child taking part in Minecraft bereavement counselling sessions.
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“It’s given him a focus at home too. Quite often he’ll come in to me in a morning and ask, ‘What should I put in Dad’s memory garden?'"
Parent of child who took part in Minecraft bereavement counselling sessions.
Facilitators, challenges and advice
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Key facilitators
Counsellors from the Family Support and Bereavement service were trained to use Minecraft Education, learning to use therapeutic techniques.
Most of the children who access the service have already used Minecraft at home or school, which means they are already comfortable in its virtual world. This helps them feel more at ease with the bereavement service and helps build trust.
Some of the young clients participating in the Minecraft sessions have created notebooks containing snapshots of the virtual worlds that they have built. This may be helpful when they are reflecting on their therapeutic journey.
Challenges
Staff were initially apprehensive about using Minecraft, because they did not see themselves as ‘gamers’. However they soon learnt how to use the platform and realised that the children and young people are the experts!
Tips and advice
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Go for it! Don’t be deterred if you have not had previous experience of using Minecraft – like anything new, your confidence will grow naturally with experience.
Children and young people are often willing to show adults how Minecraft works. This can help build rapport and gives them a sense of empowerment.
Being curious and present are the most important skills for counsellors.
Future development
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This approach could have a broader potential for supporting young adults and clients with autism spectrum disorders and learning disabilities.
If you work in palliative and end of life care, you can find support, development opportunities, resources, and guidance and access our networks and communities.
