Latest news with #smackingban
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Calls for smacking ban grow as poll shows most Britons think it's an 'unacceptable' punishment
There are growing calls for a smacking ban in England as a new poll shows the overwhelming majority think the punishment is 'unacceptable'. Parents are still allowed to use 'reasonable punishment' against their children, despite the practice being outlawed in Scotland and Wales. Any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, have been illegal from 2020 in Scotland and 2022 in Wales. New polling for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), carried out by YouGov, suggests around eight in ten people (82 per cent) aged between 18 and 24 believe it is unacceptable for a parent to use force, however slight, against a child. This is an increase from 64 per cent of young adults who thought it was unacceptable when polled in 2022. Among parents specifically, the figures have remained high in recent years, with the latest polling showing 81 per cent felt this way - up slightly from 80 per cent last year and from 76 per cent in 2022. YouGov surveyed 3,800 adults across England in July, of which 749 were parents with a child under 18 and 198 were 18 to 24 years old. Of all adults surveyed, 71 per cent said they believe physical punishment against a child is unacceptable, up from 67 per cent in 2023. Leading health experts came together earlier this year to urge parliamentarians to give children the 'fundamental right to safety and protection' by backing a smacking ban. The children's doctors and psychiatrists said decades of research showed the 'detrimental effects of physical punishment'. On the latest figures, NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood said: 'Parents and young people are telling us loud and clear that they don't want physical punishment to be a part of anyone's childhood. 'Parents know their children and what works best for them. It is therefore crucial their experiences and opinions are not ignored or undermined, but act as a wake-up call. 'As parliamentarians continue to debate the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we urge them to change the law to better reflect public attitudes to violence against children and ensure no childhood has to be tainted by physical punishment again.' In June, as part of debate on the Bill, Conservative peer Lord Jackson of Peterborough warned that introducing a smacking ban in England would be 'disproportionate and heavy-handed'. He argued 'reasonable chastisement' was harmless and calls to abolish it as a defence for punishing a child risked 'criminalising good and caring parents, as well as overloading children's services departments'. But, in the wake of the murder of ten-year-old Sara Sharif in her Woking family home in 2023, the UK's four children's commissioners jointly called for a wholesale smacking ban, describing the current situation where there is a legal defence in some nations as 'outdated and morally repugnant'. Sara's father - jailed for life in December 2024 alongside her stepmother for the little girl's murder - had claimed in a call to police after fleeing England that he 'did legally punish' his daughter but that he 'beat her up too much'. The children's commissioners insisted 'loving, well-meaning' parents have no need to be concerned about a change in the law. Lynn Perry, chief executive of children's charity Barnardo's, said: 'Violence against children is unacceptable - and yet children continue to have less legal protection against physical assault than adults. That cannot be right. This new data shows that most parents agree. 'Physical punishment like smacking is harmful to a child's health and development, and there's strong evidence that it influences their attitudes toward violence. At Barnardo's, we see first-hand how vital it is for children to feel safe and nurtured by those around them and to develop positive, healthy relationships. 'We have long campaigned for a change in the law to give children equal protection from assault and continue to call for action. It's time for all children to be legally protected from all physical punishment everywhere in the UK.' The Government, which has previously said it has 'no plans to legislate at this stage' for England, has been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Calls for smacking ban in England grow as 8 in 10 adults say punishment is 'unacceptable'
Demands for a smacking ban in England are growing as a poll revealed eight in ten adults think the punishment is 'unacceptable'. Parents are still allowed to use 'reasonable punishment' against their children despite the practice being outlawed in Scotland and Wales. In both nations, any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, has been illegal for at least three years. Polling for children's charity NSPCC, carried out by YouGov, surveyed 3,800 adults across England – of whom 749 were parents with a child under 18 and 198 were aged 18 to 24. It found 82 per cent of adults aged between 18 and 24 believe it is unacceptable for a parent to use force, however slight, against a child – up from 64 per cent in 2023. And 81 per cent of parents with children under 18 felt the same, a slight increase from 80 per cent last year. Of all adults surveyed, 71 per cent said they believe physical punishment against a child is unacceptable, up from 67 per cent in 2023. Earlier this year, leading health experts urged parliamentarians to give children the 'fundamental right to safety and protection' by backing a smacking ban. Children's doctors and psychiatrists said decades of research showed the 'detrimental effects of physical punishment'. NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood said: 'Parents and young people are telling us loud and clear that they don't want physical punishment to be a part of anyone's childhood. File image: Parents are still allowed to use 'reasonable punishment' against their children despite the practice being outlawed in Scotland and Wales 'Parents know their children and what works best for them. It is therefore crucial their experiences and opinions are not ignored or undermined.' In June, as part of debate on the Bill, Conservative peer Lord Jackson of Peterborough warned that introducing a smacking ban in England would be 'disproportionate and heavy-handed'. He argued 'reasonable chastisement' was harmless and it risked 'criminalising good and caring parents, as well as overloading children's services departments'. But in the wake of the murder of ten-year-old Sara Sharif in 2023 by her father – who had claimed in a call to police after fleeing England that he 'did legally punish' his daughter and that he 'beat her up too much' – the UK's four children's commissioners jointly called for a wholesale smacking ban. The commissioners insisted 'loving, well-meaning' parents have no need to be concerned about a change in the law. The Government, which has previously said it has 'no plans to legislate at this stage', was contacted for comment.
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Smacking ban is needed to protect children, health experts say
Leading health experts have urged parliamentarians to give children the 'fundamental right to safety and protection' by backing a smacking ban. Experts from a number of medical specialties, including children's doctors and psychiatrists, said that decades of research shows the 'detrimental effects of physical punishment'. According to the Children Act 2004, it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is 'reasonable punishment', and this is judged on a case-by-case basis. But experts said these laws are 'vague and dangerous'. Now 13 health organisations are calling on the Government to back an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would remove the 'reasonable punishment' defence from law in England. They said that the Bill reaching committee stage in the House of Lords is a 'pivotal moment' in the smacking ban campaign. Baroness Finlay has proposed an amendment to eliminate the 'reasonable punishment' defence. In an open letter, the organisations said this defence is 'archaic' and 'allows for the physical punishment of children'. 'This leaves them with less protection from assault than adults, an unacceptable disparity in our modern society,' they wrote. 'The evidence is clear: physical punishment is harmful, ineffective, and has no place in a society that values the well-being of its children.' The organisations called on the Government to 'stand on the side of our children and ensure their fundamental right to safety and protection', adding: 'By removing this archaic defence, we can send a clear message that violence against children is never acceptable.' Professor Andrew Rowland, child protection officer at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a consultant paediatrician, said: 'There is now strong agreement from health and social care professionals that the current laws around physical punishment of children, including smacking, are unjust, vague and ultimately dangerous. 'It is time to bring protection from physical assault for children in line with the protection afforded to adults. 'Every child deserves the best possible start to life, and eradicating physical punishment of children is a key part of that aim.' Dr Elaine Lockhart, head of the Child and Adolescent Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, added: 'The physical punishment of children is not just cruel, it is dangerous: the practice has been shown to be detrimental to children's mental health and leads to poor developmental outcomes.' Dr Tamasin Knight, from the British Medical Association's public health medicine committee, added: 'We believe that children should have full legal protection from all forms of physical punishment.' The full list of signatories on the letter are: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health; Faculty of Public Health; Royal Society of Medicine; School and Public Health Nurses Association; Institute of Health Promotion and Education; Institute of Health Visitors; Royal Society for Public Health; British Association for Child and Adolescent Public Health; British Medical Association; Royal College of Psychiatrists; Aldey Hey Hospital Charity; Alliance 4 Children and Barnardo's. The Government has been approached for comment.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors demand introduction of smacking ban to bring England into line with Scotland and Wales and warn current laws 'unjust and dangerous'
Leading doctors are demanding a smacking ban in England to give children the 'fundamental right to safety and protection '. Experts from a range of medical specialities, including paediatricians and psychiatrists, say decades of research shows the 'detrimental effects of physical punishment'. The Children Act 2004 makes it is unlawful to hit your child - except where it is 'reasonable punishment'. But this defence is judged on a case-by-case basis and the critics warn it is 'vague and dangerous'. It increases the risk of serious physical assault and negatively affects children's development, they add. The lack of legislative clarity also adds an extra layer of complexity for professionals when trying to identify cases of child abuse. Now 13 health organisations are calling on the Government to back an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would remove the 'reasonable punishment' defence from law in England. They said that the Bill reaching committee stage in the House of Lords is a 'pivotal moment' in the smacking ban campaign. Smacking is already banned in Scotland and Wales. Baroness Finlay has proposed an amendment to eliminate the 'reasonable punishment' defence. In an open letter, the organisations said this defence is 'archaic' and 'allows for the physical punishment of children'. 'This leaves them with less protection from assault than adults, an unacceptable disparity in our modern society,' they wrote. 'The evidence is clear: physical punishment is harmful, ineffective, and has no place in a society that values the well-being of its children.' The organisations called on the Government to 'stand on the side of our children and ensure their fundamental right to safety and protection', adding: 'By removing this archaic defence, we can send a clear message that violence against children is never acceptable.' Professor Andrew Rowland, child protection officer at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a consultant paediatrician, said: 'There is now strong agreement from health and social care professionals that the current laws around physical punishment of children, including smacking, are unjust, vague and ultimately dangerous. 'It is time to bring protection from physical assault for children in line with the protection afforded to adults. 'Every child deserves the best possible start to life, and eradicating physical punishment of children is a key part of that aim.' Dr Elaine Lockhart, head of the Child and Adolescent Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, added: 'The physical punishment of children is not just cruel, it is dangerous: the practice has been shown to be detrimental to children's mental health and leads to poor developmental outcomes.' Dr Tamasin Knight, from the British Medical Association's public health medicine committee, added: 'We believe that children should have full legal protection from all forms of physical punishment.' The full list of signatories on the letter are: Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health; Faculty of Public Health; Royal Society of Medicine; School and Public Health Nurses Association; Institute of Health Promotion and Education; Institute of Health Visitors; Royal Society for Public Health; British Association for Child and Adolescent Public Health; British Medical Association; Royal College of Psychiatrists; Aldey Hey Hospital Charity; Alliance 4 Children and Barnardo's.
