US EditionSmacking ban urged amid growing belief child physical punishment ‘unacceptable’
Poll shows 82% of young adults aged 18-24 in the UK oppose physical punishment of children, reflecting a significant rise from 64% in 2023, fueling calls for legal reform.
- Campaigners have renewed calls to ban smacking after new YouGov polling for the NSPCC showed around 82% of young adults aged 18 to 24 find any parental force unacceptable.
- Leading health experts earlier this year urged parliamentarians to back a smacking ban as 71% of adults now find physical punishment unacceptable, up from 67% in 2023.
- YouGov's survey of 3,800 adults, including 749 parents with a child under 18, shows 81% of these parents say using force against a child crosses the line in recent years.
- A Department for Education spokesperson said they have no plans to legislate on smacking at this stage but framed the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill as a transformative child-protection measure.
- Wales and Scotland have already moved to ban corporal punishment, while England and Northern Ireland still allow a 'reasonable punishment' defence; UK children's commissioners urge a blanket ban amid concerns, with Conservative peer Lord Jackson warning it could criminalise caring parents.
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Evening Standard+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
Smacking ban urged amid growing belief child physical punishment ‘unacceptable’
According to the Children Act 2004, it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is ‘reasonable punishment’, and this is judged case-by-case.
·London, United Kingdom
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Call for complete ban on smacking children as new growing number say it's 'unacceptable' - The Mirror
Polling for the NSPCC by YouGov shows a huge majority - 81% - of parents with a child under 18 say using force, however slight, against a child crosses the line
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left4Leaning Right1Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Left
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
57% Left
L 57%
C 29%
14%
Factuality
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