RCPCH Calls for Ban on Smacking Children

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is advocating for a ban on smacking children in England, declaring it a harmful 'Victorian-era punishment' with no benefits. They propose an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to eliminate the 'reasonable punishment' defense from the Children Act 2004. Professor Andrew Rowland emphasizes that physical punishment harms children's physical and mental health and increases the risk of serious assault, with no scientific evidence supporting any positive effects. Currently, Scotland and Wales have outlawed smacking, and 67 countries worldwide have adopted similar bans. Despite the push from leading doctors, the UK government currently has no plans to change the law, though it is reviewing changes made in Scotland and Wales. The amendment, if passed, would align England's child protection laws with international standards and offer more protection for children.