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Take a look at our new booklet " A parents point of view " and read what other parents have said about why they no longer use physical punishment to discipline their children.
What is the NSPCC calling for and why?
Can the law really eradicate/police smacking?
If changed, will the law criminalise parents?
What other ways can be used to discipline children?
Why are the NSPCC campaigning on this issue again?
Does a light smack really harm kids?
What is the NSPCC calling for and why?
The NSPCC is calling for children to receive the same level of protection as adults do under the law on physical assault.
All forms of corporal punishment against children are illegal in 23 countries worldwide including in Sweden, Germany Netherlands and most recently in Spain. Britain is now one of only five European countries that have not legislated, or committed to legislating to give children equal protection from assault. Many of these countries have seen positive changes in terms of attitudes about the physical punishment of children following law reform.
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The Children and Young Persons Bill is going through Parliament now. MPs will have an opportunity to vote on an amendment to the Bill in relation to disciplining children in May/June, so we are asking supporters to contact their MPs now.
Can the law really eradicate/police smacking?
We accept that the law will not eradicate all smacking. However, Bills and legislation can lead to a cultural shift which can create changes in behaviours. (e.g. the seat-belt safety public awareness campaign). So we would hope that change in law would influence society so that more and more parents come to see smacking children as unacceptable.
If changed, will the law criminalise parents?
The intention of our policy is not to criticise parents, nor undermine their efforts to bring children up. We place a great deal of importance on providing support to families, and are calling for further Government support and resources for parents to help them make this positive change. Alongside legal reform should be widespread public education on positive discipline and alternatives to physical punishment. We consider that this support should be universally available so that parents do not feel stigmatised about accessing help.
NSPCC also distribute various materials for parents on positive parenting approaches, for resources contact PEP (2775) or visit www.nspcc.org.uk/parenting
We would advocate that no prosecutions of parents take place that are not clearly in the best interests of the child.
The campaign is about changing the law so that all children are equally safe and cared for. The law creates a grey area and can be interpreted differently, meaning that people’s ideas on appropriate use of force/smacking will differ. Until the law says all hitting is unacceptable, children will still be at risk.
The change in the law would have to be enforced in a sensitive and sensible way. The primary purpose of law reform is to change attitudes and behaviour so that parents will not use physical punishment against children. It is likely that trivial assaults against children will be treated in a similar way as trivial assaults against adults are currently treated– they are extremely unlikely to be prosecuted. We don’t want to see parents prosecuted for a ‘trivial tap’ on the hand. However, we don't want abusive parents - who are a significant minority - to get away with beating children by excusing it as 'reasonable chastisement'.
What other ways can be used to discipline children?
Whilst we understand the pressures which may lead parents and carers to physically punish children, we believe this is neither an acceptable nor effective form of discipline. There are other non-violent forms of discipline which have proven to be more effective over time. If you'd like to know more about NSPCC information on parenting you could visit www.nspcc.org.uk/parenting .
Why are the NSPCC campaigning on this issue again?
The NSPCC has been campaigning on this issue for many years and has seen small steps towards the end goal of equal protection. NSPCC campaigners took action by sending letters to parliamentarians in summer 2007 as part of the government’s review of section 58 of the Children Act 2004. The DCSF referred to the strength of our campaign in the report; although we did not get the change we wanted, there is no doubt that the action of campaigners helped to demonstrate to Ministers that there is strong support for law reform.
Does a light smack really harm kids?
Smacking doesn’t teach children what they have done wrong, rather it teaches them to fear rather than respect their parent and that violence is an acceptable form of control.
We know from accounts from parents that smacking makes them feel bad too, they often regret having resorted to smacking under pressure when it wouldn’t be their normal reaction if less stressed.
The NSPCC feels that children should have the same human rights as adults. The fact that children are smaller, younger, more vulnerable and reliant on adults for their wellbeing, makes it extraordinary that they should still have less legal protection than adults.
All our activities and policies are based on what we have found to be in the best interests of children and families. NSPCC will continue to campaign against all forms of violence against children, including work to eradicate more extreme forms of abuse, in our aim to end cruelty to children .
Copyright © 2006 NSPCC - All rights reserved. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Weston House, 42
Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.