Parents in Great Britain and Northern Ireland have told ministers that hitting their children is unfair, dangerous and harmful and should be banned.
It was a “scandal” that Scotland and Wales had banned slapping while two other countries did not, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said on Wednesday.
It added that hitting children makes them far more likely to suffer from poor mental health, poor performance in school, and physical assault and abuse, adding that the act “is a complete violation of children’s rights.” accused of “infringement”.
The law said parents in England and Northern Ireland could no longer claim that hitting their children was “reasonable punishment”, as allowed under current law.
Paediatricians are calling on Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to change the law before a general election expected later this year. All political parties should include a commitment to do so in their election manifestos, they added.
Professor Andrew Rowland, the university’s child protection officer and pediatric consultant, said: “Current laws on corporal punishment are unjust and dangerously vague. “They create a gray area where some forms of corporal punishment may be legal but others are not.”
“The ambiguity created by the lack of clarity in the law makes it very difficult to discuss with families what the rules are regarding corporal punishment of children, which makes it even more difficult to discuss the best interests of the child. ,” he added.
Mr Rowland said he saw children beaten by their parents “once a week” at his clinic in Manchester.
“I see children receiving physical punishment such as slapping and slapping. [or] Sometimes using tools. It can hit your legs, arms, back, buttocks, etc.
“I have seen children being beaten using blunt instruments such as belts and spoons in the kitchen, or phone and laptop charger cables as whips. Injuries such as broken bones may require medical attention.
“I have seen this happen to children from the age of 2 to 18. This is wrong for all children, no matter the circumstances, and the children are upset, angry and confused. That should not happen.”
Beth Herbert, an advocacy expert with the campaign group End Corporal Punishment, said “hundreds of studies” have shown that in addition to the physical and psychological harm, the damage caused by being hit has a negative impact on cognitive development. It said the findings could include a lower risk of childbirth and an increased risk of dropping out of school. As adults, their aggression increases and they often engage in violent and antisocial behavior.
Rowland said 65 countries have banned smacking, and 27 others have announced similar bans. “Internationally, England and Northern Ireland are out of step.”
The NSPCC supported the university’s call. Joanna Barrett, the charity’s deputy head of policy, said: “All children deserve the same protection from assault as adults.”
“Children in England and Northern Ireland continue to be exposed to loopholes in the law that can undermine their right to basic protection under the guise of ‘reasonable punishment,'” Barrett said.
“Hitting a child can have harmful and lasting consequences. We know from Childline that corporal punishment can affect a child’s mental and emotional health and damage the parent-child relationship. I know there is.”
Children’s Commissioner for England Rachel de Sousa did not express a final view on the issue when she answered questions from members of the House of Commons education committee during her confirmation hearing in December 2020.
However, she told Times Radio in April 2022 that she wanted ministers to consider banning slapping. “I absolutely abhor and oppose any kind of violence against children,” she said.
“Children are more vulnerable than adults, so I think we need to make sure their rights are upheld.”
The Guardian has contacted the Department for Education for comment.
