Calls to ban smacking in England as children are ‘more vulnerable than adults’
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England should follow the lead of Scotland and Wales by banning smacking, the children’s commissioner has said.
By James Hockaday
Dame Rachel de Souza is calling for a change of the law, but some within the Government fear criminalising parents would be a nanny-state policy.
She told Times Radio: ‘I absolutely abhor, and I’m against, violence of any kind against children.
‘Because children are more vulnerable than adults, I think we do need to ensure that their rights are supported.’
Last month Wales made any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, illegal in the country.
The ban marks the end of the common law defence of ‘reasonable punishment’ for naughty behaviour.
Parents or anyone who is responsible for a child while the parents are absent can now face criminal or civil charges if they are found to have physically disciplined a young person in any way.
Critics of the law change have said it will criminalise parents, but the Welsh Governme...
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