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-521 |
CADRP-521 |
About you
Individual
— Yes
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
Children and young people should grow up in an atmosphere of love and respect. These are values that our schools and all children's organisations support and endorse. As far as I am aware there are no clubs or facilities in Wales that allow adults to physically hit children. All of them encourage the adults in charge to use positive parenting principles.
Children and young people need consistency in the responses they get from adults. It cannot be right for society to say you cannot use physical punishment in one setting but go ahead and hit a youngster if you are related to them.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
There is a need for legislation so that there can be no equivocation about what is acceptable and appropriate for our young people.
At the moment , society says that for example all children must receive an education and stipulates how that can be delivered. So the principles of rights and responsibilities of parents and children has a long history in Wales. if we care about our youngsters. they should have the same protection in law as many other groups do; e.g. adults, prisoners those with a disability.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
I have several years experience of working in New Zealand as both a statutory social workers and as a volunteer with a child care agency.
It is perhaps surprising that there is now no opposition at all to the ban on physical punishment, but this is because the government has provided generous funding for agencies to offer positive parenting programmes. There has been a high uptake of these programmes as there is very little stigma in attending them and many parents have passed on the message that they are worthwhile.
I have organised and run such parenting courses and initially thought that many parents would bemoan the fact that they weren't able to hit their children. However, this didn't happen, as virtually every parent spoke in favour of the ban, even if they didn't have the skill to manage their child's behaviour. It seemed to be that no parent wanted to hit their child. Those that had used this method spoke of their frustration and anger at the behaviour of the child, not about the positive effect of hitting their child.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
I think the government should commit to ensuring that there are free open access parenting programmes available to all Welsh parents where parents have the opportunity to meet other parents. At the moment, parenting programmes are available only through a professional referral, thus stigmatising the attendees. The money spent on such programmes would be recouped through the drop in referrals for youth offending. At the moment, we have a reactive policy towards unwanted behaviours.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
Some opponents to the change suggest that there would be more parents subject to charging and court procedures. This has not been my understanding of the situation in NZ where there has been no rise in the number of trials for assault on children, following the ban. The widespread availability of parenting programmes has meant the judges in criminal and civil cases regarding children's welfare are apt to make referrals to local providers of such programmes. This happens in domestic abuse cases, matrimonial proceedings and child protection issues.
So, overall there has been some positive effects of the ban in lessening the use of formal court orders in these types of cases. .
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
No comments
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