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-279	CADRP-279

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)

Having brought up three daughters, as my wife and I were loving parents, concerned that they develop an understanding of the basis of our nuturing them in the christian faith to be useful citizens in our country. In their early years we needed to disipline them in ways that taught them what we considered was right or wrong. This did on occasions involve gentle smacks amongst other forms of disiplining them. These methods were always gentle and in a loving manner only seeking to encourage them to learn. They are now in their 40s and 50s and are still in a good relationship with ourselves and each have families of their own, with children now in their late teens and early 20s. The disipline of younger years has brought well grounded members of our society.

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)

-

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)

NO

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)

NO

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)

It is the parents responsability to decide how their children are to be disiplined and not for the Government to decide how children should be treated, If the Government passes  this bill it could lead to many parents being criminalised.

Most adults have been smacked as young children and do nt think that that means of disipline was abuse to them.

Anyway it is bad for society, families adn the children themselves if children are not disiplined.

Smacking is not child abuse if carried out by loving parents, as it is used to warn children of dangers before they are old enough to understand a reasoned means of disiplining.

In any case the law already protects children from violence and it is completely misleading to describe a loving smack as violence.