Smacking ‘must be completely banned’: Children’s health chiefs demand an end to loophole allowing parents to use ‘reasonable punishment’ because there are ‘no cases where it is acceptable’
Laws must be changed to ensure that hitting a child is not considered acceptable under any circumstances, a landmark report has claimed.
Current law in England and Northern Ireland has created ‘grey areas’, meaning there are sometimes defenses to physical punishment, says the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Wales made any form of corporal punishment, including hitting, slapping, slapping and shaking, illegal in March 2022, while Scotland had already introduced a similar ban in November 2020.
The RCPCH is now calling for this policy to be adopted across Britain, arguing that amendments to remove the ‘reasonable punishment’ defense from the Children Act 2004 for England and the Law Reform Order 2006 for Northern Ireland’ are already much too late.
The report on the issue states that, ahead of the general election, now is the time for all political parties to make ‘meaningful commitments on this important children’s rights issue’.
Current law in England and Northern Ireland has created ‘grey areas’, meaning there are sometimes defenses to physical punishment, says the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH). stock
It warns that children who suffer physical punishment are almost three times as likely to have poorer mental health and more than twice as likely to experience serious physical abuse and assault.
Physical punishment also increases the likelihood of behavioral problems in childhood, poorer relationships with parents and family, and instances of aggression later in life.
Internationally, 65 states have a complete ban on physical punishment of children and 27 others have committed to reforming their laws to achieve a complete legal ban.
But adults in England and Northern Ireland still enjoy more protection than children.
Professor Andrew Rowland, a pediatrician and RCPCH child protection officer, said: ‘The laws around physical punishment in their current form are unjust and dangerously vague.
‘They create a gray area in which some forms of physical punishment may be permissible and others may not.
‘As a pediatrician working for child protection, I am regularly confronted with situations in which it is alleged that corporal punishment has been used against a child.
‘The vague nature of the laws makes it extremely challenging to talk to families about what the rules are around physical punishment for children, making it more difficult to talk about their children’s best interests.
“In fact, this lack of clarity in the legislation may add another layer of complexity when identifying cases of child abuse.”
Professor Rowland said society’s views on punishment have changed over time, with two in three adults now agreeing that physical punishment of children is unacceptable.
Professor Andrew Rowland, a pediatrician and RCPCH child protection officer, said: ‘The laws around physical punishment in their current form are unjust and dangerously vague’
He added: ‘There should be no gray areas when it comes to protecting children.
‘Changing the laws in England and Northern Ireland will give us absolute clarity and ensure that there are no cases where it is acceptable or legal to hit a child.’
Bess Herbert, advocacy specialist at the international campaign organization End Corporal Punishment, said: ‘The science on physical punishment of children is now complete. Hundreds of studies have shown that this is associated with a wide range of negative outcomes.
‘I hope that England and Northern Ireland will soon join the growing number of countries that have taken this fundamental step in protecting children, upholding their rights and supporting children’s healthy and positive education.’