Consultation on the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill
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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 |
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CADRP-326 |
CADRP-326 |
About you
Individual
— No
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
I believe that the current law strikes a reasonable balance between a) allowing parents to choose from a range of suitable methods to discipline their children and b) child abuse. If the law is changed it will remove the distinction between a light disciplinary smack and extreme violence. The law already outlaws excessive physical punishment and there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the current allowable levels of discipline harm children in any way. I was disciplined physically as a child and I am thankful that I was. My own grown-up children would say the same. If this legislation had been passed 35 years ago both I and my loving parents would now be considered criminals for doing what we believe is in the best interests of our own children.
Furthermore, there are occasions when physical correction is essential to prevent sudden and immediate danger to children. The argument that the law that is applicable to adults should be extended to children fails to recognise that children are not adults and sometimes they need to be restrained and corrected to keep them safe. Surely, as loving parents, we can be trusted to know what is best for our own children in particular situations.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
No I dont! The current arrangements have worked well for many years.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
My main concern is the effect that the Bill may have on the police and social services, which are already at breaking point dealing with REAL cases of criminality and social problems. I would like my Government to focus on the problems that the nation already has without spending time telling parents what they should and shouldn't do with their children. Where is the money going to come from for pursuing cases - and what cases of real criminality are going to be ignored to pay for it?
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
No. I don't think the Welsh Government has any idea what the true costs will be and it feels from the level of the man in the street that they don't actually care as long as the Bill is passed - irrespective of the wishes of the electorate and the costs to our society.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
It is my conviction that the Bill will actually have the OPPOSITE effect to that intended. I appreciate that those supporting it are doing so from the best of motives but I would appeal to them to look at the scientific evidence. A substantial body of scientific evidence shows that the outcomes in countries that have adopted a smacking ban are far from positive and it appears that the reports that the government are basing their proposals upon have been very selectively chosen.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
The health service, the police, the social services in our nation are desperately in need of additional funding. At such a time I regard it as obscene that such large sums (and - in significant areas - unknown sums) are being committed to this proposal. Please - Please- spend our money on things that are really important now - not on turning your ordinary citizens into criminals.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
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