Cops and councils ‘aren’t ready for smacking law’

CAMPAIGNERS AGAINST BAN SAY IT MEANS TRAUMA FOR FAMILIES AND HUGE EXTRA WORKLOAD FOR AUTHORITIES

POLICE and councils across North Wales are unprepared for the workload they could face with a planned move to make smacking children illegal, campaign groups say.

The Welsh Government published a bill removing reasonable punishment as a defence in March this year.

If approved, parents will not be allowed to use “reasonable chastisement” and could be criminalised for physically punishing their children.

Be Reasonable, a group against the proposed ban, say Welsh police have no idea how the ban would affect parents, staffing levels or police budgets.

They claim North Wales Police have not carried out any internal assessments of how the legislation will affect their day-to-day work.

The group says police are relying on estimates from the Welsh Government which suggest around 550 people a year will be caught out under a smacking ban, at the cost of £890,000 a year to police forces.

North Wales Police “had not completed any projection analysis towards the implementation of legislation relating to the removal of reasonable chastisement”, according to the group.

A similar law was introduced in New Zealand, where one study reported that smacking doubled in the first few years after the ban was introduced. Chen Palmer, the author of the report, said the ban led to mass confusion around how it should be implemented and enforced.

Jamie Gillies, a spokesman for the Be Reasonable campaign, said: “The effects of the smacking ban on police forces in Wales could be huge. The Government estimates that more than 500 people will be caught by a ban every year.

“As well as the trauma this intervention represents for families across Wales, a change in the law could bring a huge additional workload to police officers on the ground, hampering their ability to carry out other vital tasks.

“The Government’s assessment of the impact of smacking legislation on the police seriously lacks detail.

“Ministers need to be clear about the added requirements officers will face, and who will fund this nationwide exercise in virtue signalling that they are being asked to perform amidst other pressing demands.

“In New Zealand, uncertainty over the law has led to good parents being criminalised.

“Given the problems with the New Zealand law, it beggars belief the Welsh Government would risk the same scenarios playing out here.

“For months the Government has been pretending a smacking ban is popular, necessary and easy to implement. These claims are simply not true. Around three-quarters of adults in Wales oppose a smacking ban, knowing that the current law is sensible and effective in safeguarding children.”

Publicly accessible information shared by Be Reasonable suggests councils across Wales have received no information about the policy, despite fears that children’s services could be flooded with new cases.

A spokesperson for Flintshire Council said: “To date, we have received no guidance or policy documents from the Welsh Government.”

Gwynedd Council said: “We are unable to answer your request as we have not reviewed our population needs analysis to include this and do not have plans to do so.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We want to make it clear that physically punishing a child is no longer acceptable in Wales. Proven positive alternatives are much better for our children and their wellbeing.

“Social workers and other professionals working with children say the bill will help them by providing clarity on the law.”

Jeff Cuthbert, police and crime commissioner for Gwent, who is the lead PCC between the Welsh Government and Welsh police forces, said: “Crucially, this law will not result in any changes for the majority of parents in Wales who believe smacking is no longer appropriate.

“However, it is important that the law does not inadvertently criminalise parents. We will work with Welsh Government to ensure education and guidance is provided, and appropriate interventions are available, so criminal action is only taken when clearly necessary.”