Scotland's ban on parents smacking their children has become law, making it the first part of the UK to outlaw physical punishment of unders. Parents and carers were previously allowed to use physical force to discipline their children if it was considered "reasonable chastisement". The new law means that the so-called "justifiable assault" defence is no longer available.
It seeks to give children the same protection from assault as adults. Sweden was the first country in the world to ban smacking in the home when it outlawed corporal punishment in Scotland has now become the 58th to do so. In January, Wales was the second part of the UK to pass a law banning people from smacking their children. It will begin in There are not currently any plans for England or Northern Ireland to follow suit. The charity's Joanna Barrett said: "This law sets out in clear terms that physical punishment should no longer be part of childhood in Scotland and it marks a momentous step in making it a country where children's rights are truly recognised, respected and fulfilled.
Mr Finnie said smacking teaches children that "might is right", and that the ban would "send a strong message that violence is never acceptable in any setting". It can never be reasonable to strike a child. But defence lawyer Greg Peters said his client did not accept the bruising had been caused by the smack at the man's home in Chard, Somerset.
Somerset Magistrates' Court in Yeovil was told the father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted to hitting the child, but said it was not enough to have caused an injury. Jump directly to the content. Sign in. All Football. The Child Law Advice states:. Injuries which could be counted as common assault:. Gives kids a bad example of how to handle strong emotions May lead kids to hit or bully other children May encourage kids to lie because they fear being smacked May make defiant behaviour even worse Leads to a resentful or angry child, thus damaging the family relationship.
We pay for your stories! Banning smacking will inevitably catch ordinary loving parents and turn them into criminals. The slightest touch could become grounds for an assault charge. Police, social workers and others involved in child protection will be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of cases if the law is changed. This will inevitably divert their valuable but overstretched time and resources away from those children who are genuinely at risk of abuse. It involves unreasonable state interference in family life and undermines parents.
Children could be removed from their parents merely on the suspicion of having been smacked. If the law were to be changed it would also apply to anyone visiting Scotland. Sign Up. Contact For all media enquiries please contact Tom Hamilton Communications on This means that all forms of physical punishment of children will be against the law in Scotland, and children will have with the same legal protection from assault as adults.
The Act does not introduce a new offence. It just removes a defence to the existing offence of assault. We are required by the Act to take steps to promote public awareness and understanding about the defence being removed.
This change in the law will apply to acts of physical punishment or physical discipline carried out after 7 November For acts carried out on or after that date, the defence will not available. We know it can be tough being a parent or carer. We also know that has had unique challenges. Lots of support is available. Our ParentClub website contains tried and tested hints and tips like the ones on coping with being a parent and behaviour. This directory brings together information about organisations benefits and other sources of support for parents and carers, no matter the situation or the stage a child is at.
If talking to someone might help, you can call Children 1st Parentline on 28 22 Or you can chat to someone online at Parentline.
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