Consultation on the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

Tystiolaeth i’r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar gyfer craffu Cyfnod 1 Bil Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru)

Evidence submitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

CADRP-330

CADRP-330

 

About you

Individual

1      The Bill’s general principles

1.1     Do you support the principles of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill?

— No

1.2     Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

I believe it is very important to respect the rights of parents.  Parents generally know their children best and should be free to discipline them with a smack if necessary.  There is a huge difference between a loving smack and child abuse and most parents are reasonable enough to know this.  Parents need to be free to lovingly discipline their child with a smack when they are too young to properly understand verbal reasoning.  Many of us were smacked as children and did not feel it was child abuse,  and you will find that most parents in Wales are against this legislation, as recent ComRes polls in 2017 show.  It is wrong to push through a radical bill like this against the wishes of the people you are representing.

1.3     Do you think there is a need for legislation to deliver what this Bill is trying to achieve?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

No, there is already adequate legislation in place to protect against child abuse. This legislation will cause a waste of police and social work time, when they could be concentrating on genuine cases of child abuse.  It is a terrible prospect for caring parents to have a criminal record for disciplining their children - how will this stop those parents who are the real child abusers?  How will this have any effect?

2      The Bill’s implementation

2.1     Do you have any comments about any potential barriers to  implementing the Bill? If no, go to question 3.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

-

2.2     Do you think the Bill takes account of these potential barriers?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

-

3      Unintended consequences

3.1     Do you think there are there any unintended consequences arising from the Bill? If no, go to question 4.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

-

4      Financial implications

4.1     Do you have any comments on the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum)? If no, go to question 5.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

-

5      Other considerations

5.1     Do you have any other points you wish to raise about this Bill?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

-