As reported by the Guardian, education specialists are urging schools and families not to shy away from conversations about Jeffrey Epstein, warning that silence could leave children to piece together information from unreliable or harmful online sources

The call comes ahead of what organisers describe as the first public webinar designed specifically to help schools address questions about the convicted sex offender. The session is being run by Thrive, which says pupils are increasingly encountering references to Epstein through social media and news coverage.

In a statement, Thrive said many young people are coming across material without explanation or safeguarding context, placing pressure on teachers to respond to difficult questions in the moment. Without structured discussion, it argues, misinformation and distress can spread unchecked.

Adele Gladman, a child sexual exploitation specialist who is due to speak at the event, said it was unsurprising that even primary-aged children were raising the issue, given the scale of media attention and online commentary.

Viv Trask-Hall, Thrive’s head of theory and practice, said more than 2,000 educators had registered for the webinar taking place on Wednesday, reflecting what she described as significant demand from schools seeking guidance on how to handle the topic sensitively and safely.