Smacking: ‘Scots lagging behind the Third World’

in Zimbabwe get better protection than they would in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has an ambition for Scotland to be the best country in the world to bring up children.

“How can we claim that as long as we maintain this tradition of physical punishment?”

Mr Baillie also directly challenged those who are against a smacking ban on the basis it would threaten to interfere with parents’ rights and risks criminalising them for disciplining their children.

He said international evidence pointed to smacking bans leading to a drop in the physical assault of children, and added: “Ireland changed the law and it has not resulted in parents being criminalised or being unable to control their children.

“There has been some evidence of a rise in people seeking help when they are in difficulties. There are other ways of being able to parent your child.”

A S c o t t i s h G ov e r n m e n t spokesman said: “Our Child Protection Improvement Programme will ensure every child in Scotland at risk of harm or abuse receives the best possible support and protection.

“We do not support physical punishment and we do not consider it effective.

“We do not, however, support a ban as we do not think that would be appropriate and effective.”

He highlighted that an independently- chaired review of the child protection system found it worked well to protect children or young people at risk of harm or who have been harmed and that the Government accepted all the recommendations of the review.

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