Doctors back total ban on smacking children in England

Leading child doctors have joined calls for a complete ban on smacking children in England, saying there is no evidence it has any positive effect on their wellbeing.

Currently, smacking is unlawful in England, except in cases where it amounts to a "reasonable punishment".

Now the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) wants that legal defence to be removed, using an amendment to a law which is currently making its way through Parliament.

The Department for Education said the government had no plans to change the law on smacking, but that it was committed to giving every child the best start in life.

Prof Andrew Rowland, RCPCH officer for child protection, said: "Now is the time for this Victorian-era punishment to go."

If enough MPs backed the amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, tabled by Labour MP Jess Asato in January, then the defence of smacking as a "reasonable punishment" would be completely outlawed in England.

Currently, the situation on smacking children is different depending on where you are in the UK.

In Scotland and Wales, corporal - or physical - punishment is illegal, but in England and Northern Ireland the "reasonable punishment" defence still stands.

In England, the defence is included in the Children Act of 2004, but smacking children has been permitted by law since 1860.

Scotland was the first UK country to ban corporal punishment in November 2020, followed by Wales in March 2022.

Prof Rowland said there were 67 countries around the world which had already adopted smacking bans, with a further 20 committing to do so.

The government said it was "looking closely" at the changes made in Scotland and Wales, but had no plans to legislate on smacking at this stage.

A spokesperson said the bill in its current form represented the "single biggest piece of child protection legislation in a generation".

"This government has prioritised significant reform of the children's social care system, driving better child protection and information sharing between education, health and social workers to stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks," they added.

Parents at a baby sensory group in Sale, Greater Manchester, told the BBC they were all against smacking children, but some were unsure about whether it was right for the government to intervene.

Mum Leanne Casey, said parents "should be able to discipline how they see fit", but added: "I don't agree with smacking children though, so if a ban is what it takes then I'd agree that is what you need to do."

Dad Oli Harrison said he would "never intervene" in another person's parenting methods, but added that a ban would "probably be beneficial" to avoid it being seen as a "grey area".

When looking at populations as a whole, Prof Rowland said physical punishment "undoubtedly harms children's health".

He said there were no scientific studies which provided robust evidence that smacking had any positive effect on children's wellbeing.

Calls for a ban on smacking intensified after the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif.

Sara was murdered in August 2023 after a "campaign of torture" by her father and stepmother which lasted for two years.

Her father, who had fled to Pakistan after the murder, had phoned police in England claiming he had "legally punished" Sara before her death.

It is unlawful in England to assault a child causing actual or grievous bodily harm, or cruelty, but Prof Rowland said academic studies had shown children who were punished physically were at an increased risk of serious physical assault.

He said a complete ban on smacking would make it easier for the authorities to "draw a line and say there are never any circumstances involved where physical punishment of children is ever legal".

Other organisations, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, have also backed the amendment.

Joanna Barrett, from the charity, said smacking had been associated with "depression, anxiety, increased aggression, and antisocial behaviour".

She said a legal change was needed "urgently", adding that "right now we know physical punishment remains a part of childhood for too many young people in England".

Lynn Perry, chief executive of the Barnardo's children's charity, said: "No violence against children is acceptable. And yet children continue to face less legal protection against physical assault than adults."

Additional reporting by Hope Rhodes