Save the Children's Fund (SCF) is launching the pack as the first part of a roadshow called Parenting for a Non-Violent Society.

The launch comes a day after a Scottish primary school teacher was found guilty of assaulting his eight-year-old daughter by smacking her.

The case has brought calls for a legal ban on smacking in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Best practice

SCF's training pack ties in with its call for a ban on smacking. It says parents need an alternative to hitting.

Kate Harper, author of the SCF pack, said: "Most adults don't enjoy hitting children, but they don't know what else to do.

"Children learn aggressive behaviour from adults. If adults don't know how to be non-violent, why should we expect children to?"

The leaflet aims to set out best practice on bringing up a child.

Ms Harper says children do need boundaries. "When they know that there are certain limits beyond which they are not permitted to go, children usually feel more secure and relaxed in the knowledge of what behaviour is acceptable," she said.

She believes that rules can be enforced by explaining the consequence of anti-social behaviour.

"Rules, limits, boundaries and expectations should all be set according to whether certain behaviour will or will not harm other people (physically or their feelings), damage other people's possessions, or just make the child concerned unwelcome in their community," she said.

Legislation

SCF says research shows that smacking only gives children the message that violence is acceptable, especially if the person using force is bigger and more powerful than the person being hit.

SCF says smacking children teaches them that bullying works

Children's charities are calling on the government to make the law clearer on smacking children.

The National Children's Bureau (NCB) says it wants to see children given the same legal protection from assault as adults.

The government agrees the law needs to be changed and has promised a consultation paper.

This follows a recent European Commission on Human Rights ruling that a British boy's human rights were breached when he was repeatedly beaten by his stepfather.

SCF says that, as the law currently stands, British parents are free to beat, smack, cane or belt their children, even with a stick or electric flex.

Research

A recent SCF/NCB survey found that 90% of children thought smacking was wrong.

The SCF also cites a recent Department of Health study of 500 families which says that 75% of babies aged less than one had been hit and 25% of seven-year-olds had experienced "severe" physical punishment.

It adds than a US study shows that children who are smacked learn more slowly than those who are not.

Eight European countries have outlawed physical punishment of children. They include Latvia, Austria, Croatia, Sweden and Cyprus.