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-221

CADRP-221

 

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?

— Yes

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 and always has been the role of parents to discipline their children. Loving parents would become criminals overnight for using a smack to make a child aware they have stepped out of line.

 We hear almost everyday of young people who end up in prison because they think they can get away with murder in some cases; so long as they do not get caught.

If it becomes a criminal offence to discipline a child by a loving and caring parent. Then a lot more prisons will need to be built to house the parents who really do not want to see their children ending in the place they have been sent to for smacking their child who really needs to be told off or doing wrong especially when they keep doing it as a wind up!

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)

Most definitely NO NO  NO

The law already protects children from violence. It is very misleading to state that a gentle smack is violence.

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)

Establishing this Bill would increase the amount of abuse some young people inflict on other young people.

The police would have to investigate every complaint a child reports. In some cases this could be done on purpose, and out of spite because the child may have been told off about a matter and they decide to phone 999

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 No and No yet again.

Smacking is not child abuse. It is bad for the whole of society and especially the child requiring correction, if it becomes illegal to discipline them.

Smacking is necessary as a warning to the child when they have dome something wrong. The parent does not want to smack them but it is sometimes necessary as the parent loves them too much to let them go on to do worse things as they get older, and into adulthood be committed to prison.

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)

Those supporting this Bill state the law should be the same for children as it is for adults. The problem with this argument is that children are clearly not adults and unable to make adult decisions. The parent has brought their child into the world and will want to protect him/her from the evil influences that are very evident in society today.

We only need to look at the news just about every day, to see how many young people are getting into very serious trouble, and probably because their parents were never able to discipline them from day one. The only way they can then be sorted is through the courts.

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)

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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)

Yes I would like to state that if smacking or a mild smack becomes a criminal offence; what happens next in law. Does it then become a criminal offence for removing a mobile phone; or unplugging a PC; or sending a child to their room?

If this Bill is passed no parent will be able to do anything to prevent their child from doing whatever they like. We will end up with special prisons needed to lock up mothers, fathers, and guardians with their children in cells next to each other.