Doctors Call for Total Smacking Prohibition in England

Complete Ban on Smacking Urged by Medical Professionals

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has called for a complete ban on smacking children in England, labeling it a “Victorian-era punishment” that harms children’s health. Currently, English law permits parents to administer “reasonable punishment,” a defense rooted in legislation dating back to 1860.

The RCPCH is advocating for the removal of this legal defense by amending the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently under parliamentary consideration. Professor Andrew Rowland emphasized that smacking causes significant physical and emotional harm to children and offers no benefits.

This initiative aligns with actions taken in other parts of the UK. Scotland implemented a smacking ban in 2020, and Wales followed suit in 2022, granting children the same legal protection from assault as adults.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) supports the proposed amendment, highlighting that reports to their helpline about physical punishment have more than tripled within a year, rising from 447 in the year to March 2023 to 1,451 in the following 12 months.

Advocates for the ban note that 67 countries have already prohibited smacking, reflecting a global shift towards non-violent forms of child discipline.