Scots smacking ban may make children violent, reveal experts
THE smacking ban could make children more violent and criminalise good parents, families have been warned.
A law making the physical punishment of youngsters a criminal offence in Scotland is due to come into force by the end of the year.
But researchers in New Zealand found that a similar ban introduced there more than a decade ago has resulted in a generation of children who do not understand ‘no’.
School leaders have reported a rise in the number of pupils with behavioural issues, such as hitting, spitting and throwing furniture.
Sociologist Dr Ashley Frawley, a supporter of Scotland’s Be Reasonable campaign, which opposes the ban, said: ‘When New Zealand brought in legislation, politicians said changing the law would further protect children and prevent abuse. Ten years on the situation is far worse. Cases of abuse continue to rise, child-on-child violence is increasing in schools and more children are being taken into care.
‘There is strong evidence to suggest that the New Zealand law has criminalised ordinary, loving parents and caused great turmoil.’
Scotland’s legislation, brought forward by Green MSP John Finnie in 2017, is set to come into force in five months, after MSPs voted 84 to 29 in favour of it last year.
Members of the Scottish parliament voted to scrap the defence of ‘reasonable chastisement’, which will prevent parents and carers from using physical punishment.
The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) Bill gives children the same protection as adults and axes the defence of ‘justifiable assault’ from the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003. The move makes Scotland the first country in the UK to introduce a ban.
But research from Family First New Zealand highlights concerns.
David McKenzie, headteacher of Edendale Primary School in Auckland, said an emerging group of children were entering the school system, or already in it, who did not understood the word ‘no.’
He added that they had little ability to manage difficult situations without tantrums or violence.
Meanwhile, Wendy Ryan, president of the Southland Primary Principals Association, said more children were entering the school system with behavioural issues, including hitting other children, spitting and throwing furniture.
The report, published last month, says children are not just becoming more violent to peers, but also to teaching staff. It adds that head teachers are now 11.79 times more likely to be subject to physical violence at work than the rest of the New Zealand population.
Bob McCoskrie, national director of Family First New Zealand, concluded: ‘Not only has the ban failed to reduce the harm perpetrated against children, it has increased the harm inflicted by children.’
In the first five years of the law, New Zealand police investigated nearly 600 families over smacking but charges resulted from only 9 per cent of probes.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘These claims are absurd. This legislation gives children the same legal protection as adults, something backed by an overwhelming majority of public opinion.’
‘Criminalised ordinary, loving parents’