Parents' code to discourage smacking

Campaigners want smacking of children outlawed

A parents' code is to be set up by the Welsh Assembly as part of a strategy to discourage people from using smacking to discipline their children.

Social Services Minister Jane Hutt made the announcement during a speech which criticised "physical punishment" of children and looked for "positive alternatives " to smacking, which she labelled "inappropriate".

Although the assembly does not have legislative power to stop parents physically disciplining their children, the measures send a clear message that the Welsh Assembly Goverment wants it to stop.

The physical punishment of children is not an appropriate method

Assembly statement

The administration has already made positive moves against smacking by making it illegal for childminders to hit children.

Ms Hutt said a parenting forum would be established, drawing together expertise from statutory agencies as well as experts from the voluntary sector and parenting groups, to provide advice and support for parents of young children.

"Parents individually and in groups can get advice when they need it," she explained.

Advice and support would also be available by phone.

Swedish system

But Ms Hutt also make reference to the system in Sweden, which changed its civil laws 20 years ago to prevent smacking.

In that time, no parent had been criminalised for smacking, but the use of physical punishment for children had fallen dramatically, she said.

She said the code would "set expectations" as to the behaviour expected by parents when dealing with their children.

She told AMs she would write to the Home Office Minister John Denham supporting the UN's conclusion that all smacking should be prohibited by law.

Ms Hutt also promised an extra £21m over the next three years for the Sure Start programme which works with parents at a local level.

Education, in particular the personal and social education classes which are part of the curriculum, had a part to play, she added.

Physical restraint

The children's commissioner, introduced to safeguard the rights of youngsters in Wales, has also called for a ban on "assault" on children.

Ms Hutt's address on Wednesday came 24 hours before a debate on the issue by the UK Government.

New regulations came into force in April in Wales which laid out strict guidelines for the treatment of children under eight who are being cared for by professional childminders.

They include measures to ensure children are never shaken, smacked, humiliated or shamed.

Jane Hutt says smacking is inappropriate

Childminders cannot use physical restraint unless it is necessary to prevent a child from self harm, hurting another child, an adult or causing serious damage to property.

Earlier in October, representatives from the umbrella group Children Are Unbeatable! Cymru asked the assembly to support its campaign.

Of the 60 assembly members, 29 have already signed up to the group's aims.

• Plaid Cymru AM Helen Mary Jones backed a ban, claiming smacking was simply "hitting" and that statistics suggested it did not instill discipline - a ban would result in less child abuse.

• Conservative AM David Davies said discipline was needed because children were "running out of control" and backed smacking as "a last resort".

• Sara Reid, the assistant Children's Commissioner for Wales, wants the defence of "reasonable chastisement" removed - which could classify smacking as assault - and advocates the end of smacking. She instead wants to see parents use methods that encourage "self-discipline".

Smack battle

But the campaigners have a difficult task ahead.

Despite the fact that the United Nations has asked Britain to abolish its "reasonable chastisement" legal defence for smacking, UK ministers have already indicated there will be no change in the law.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child criticised the UK Government earlier this month for "taking no significant action" to ban smacking.

Scotland nearly became the first part of the British Isles to outlaw smacking recently.

The Scottish Executive had included a smacking ban in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill - but this was dropped in September after the plan was rejected by a cross-party committee of MSPs.

They argued there was already adequate protection for children under Scottish law and that the decision to limit the ban to children under three years of age could be seen as discriminatory.