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-203	CADRP-203

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)

It is up to parents to decide how to parent their children, not the government. There is a massive difference between a smack from a loving parent and abuse. This bill will not reduce child abuse, it will just criminalise loving parents and add to the workload of an already overstretched police force and care system.

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

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)

This bill is likely to cause real cases of child abuse to be missed. Police and social workers are going to have to be dealing with loving parents who want to raise their child to be a good member of the community instead of dealing with parents who are just abusing their children. There is also the possibility of lots more children being removed from parents causing an even bigger strain on the care system and causing damage to children who were not originally in danger.

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)

no

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)

yes, you criminalise loving, caring, hardworking parents. It will also likely result in behavior issues in many children and then teenagers/young adults because there is a feeling that parents are unable to do anything to discipline bad or unwanted behavior. This means that the children will be given freedom to do what they want and don't have respect for authority, you'll then likely end up with higher crime rates because they have not been taught that they can't just get away with whatever they want to do. In Sweeden, child on child violence increased dramatically when smacking was banned. There is no reason to suggest that the same thing won't happen again here.

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)

It will be a huge financial drain on the police, social workers, the care system and the NHS (because Dr's will have to write reports and assess more children for 'abuse'). We don't have the money spare to be wasting on a pointless law!

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)

I understand that in a ComRes poll, only 11% of Welsh adults were in favour banning smacking. That's a tiny minority. Polititians are there to represent the people, not ignore their opinions and push things through regardless! The majority of people don't want this ban so it shouldn't be put into place.