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-524 |
CADRP-524 |
About you
Individual
— No
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
I feel very disappointed that politicians are not listening to the voice of the public which indicates that there is significant opposition to criminalising smacking. Polls show reflect this and I am not happy about the waste of public money being spent thus far. This fiscal wastage will be exacerbated further by the monetary requirements needed to enforce and resource this bill-despite there being no concrete evidence that banning the option of reasonable punishment helps society/young people.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
Not at all-the law already protects children from abuse. Money and resources need to be directed on enforcing the current law.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
-
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
-
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
Families need to be protected and removing the ‘reasonable chastisement defence’ will mean that a parent disciplining their child with a mild smack would be classed as assault.
Enforcement would disrupt families. If a parent is penalised for smacking they could lose their job or even custody of their children. The distress felt by both child and parent could be devasatating-and for what? Introducing this law could also have devastating consequences for society in Wales-becuase it potentially is attacking the family. Children and young people more than ever need to be given opportunity for mild discipline. Robbing parents of this empowers the child more, when we live in already extremely rebellious society.
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
I have referred to these previously,
(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)
Only that I wish the Welsh government would spend its money and resources on an issue that is going to benefit society much more and has more mileage in terms of its potential positive effect as opposed to negative. I am dumbfounded that it continues to press on with such an unpopular bill/potential legislation with so many other issues needing attention in Wales.