UK teachers and parents urged to talk to children about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes

"Many children and young people are encountering this material often without context, warnings or adult support, leaving educators to manage the emotional and safeguarding impact in real time."

"The first thing is to be brave, because these are difficult conversations to have but they are also important conversations to have. And make no mistake about it, if you don't have the conversation, those children will seek information elsewhere, and it's the elsewhere that isn't healthy and presents a risk."

"If children aren't given the opportunity to talk to trusted adults about it then they are going to go online, they are going to go into forums, they are going to talk to chatbots, and that's where the risk lies because that's where the misinformation and disinformation is."

Experts in the UK emphasize that teachers and parents must engage in open conversations about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes with children and young people. Without adult guidance, children risk encountering uncontextualized material and seeking answers from unreliable sources including online forums and chatbots. Child sexual exploitation specialist Adele Gladman notes that children as young as six have already asked about Epstein due to sustained media coverage. Schools and parents must prepare to address questions about Epstein and his connections to public figures. Over 2,000 educators have registered for an online seminar addressing this issue, demonstrating significant professional interest in managing these difficult but necessary conversations.

Read at www.theguardian.com