Following the completion of a Welsh Government consultation, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, and now Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Care, Children, Young People, and Older People, is preparing to oppose Welsh Government legislation prohibiting the use of physical punishment in the family.
Janet said:
“The Welsh Government have recently completed a consultation on the removal of the reasonable chastisement defence. This has highlighted the clear split in public opinion with only 50.3% advising that the Welsh Government’s proposal would help protect children's rights.
“The uncertainty around any potential positive impact being caused by the proposed change in law is unsurprising when considering that there is already strong legislation in place to protect children’s rights, such as the Children Act 2004. This resulted in the defence of reasonable chastisement being unavailable for charges of cruelty, wounding or assaults causing actual or grievous bodily harm.
“Another major factor casting doubt on whether the Welsh Government’s ban would actually result in its stated aim is the question of how a smacking ban would be enforced.
“For the Welsh Government really to have the positive impact it is aiming for, it would have to police family homes, and expect school teachers and others to report every allegation made by a child for investigation by relevant authorities.
“Whilst I welcome the attention given by the Welsh Government to children’s rights, the smacking ban is ill-conceived and a step too far.
“I do not agree with the potential criminalisation of thousands of decent parents who know where to draw the line between abuse and chastisement. As such, I will be opposing the smacking ban in my new role as the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Care, Children, Young People, and Older People”.
ENDS
Notes:
Welsh Government Consultation – summary of responses
Wales smacking ban: Opinion split, consultation suggests