Are you allowed to slap your children?

[car0line123]

I am seeing a lot of posts from mums who just witnessed someone slapping a child, and are advised to take photos and report to social services. (I read slap, not punching)

Without discussing if it is morally right or wrong, can anyone tell me if you are allowed to discipline your children with a slap? I am just confused

[ThomasRichard]

IIRC it is against the law to hit them on the head so no, you cannot slap them. You also cannot leave a red mark.

Why do you ask?

[Pispcina]

huh?

[Pispcina]

I mean, why do you ask?

[AoifeBell]

So you can hit them every where but the head as long as it doesnt leave red marks?

[PurpleDaisies]

It is not illegal for a parent to hit their child as long as the ‘smack’ amounts to ‘reasonable punishment’. There is, therefore, a difference between punishment and what can feasibly be termed ‘abuse’. Unreasonable punishment is classed as a smack that leaves a mark on the child, or the use of an implement to hit the child, such as a belt or cane. A parent can give another person consent to use reasonable punishment on their child, such as a babysitter or grandparent.

This is from lawandparents.co.uk paraphrasing section 58 of the children's act.

[happygirl87]

Thomas does a slap have to be to the head? I thought that a gentle slap across the buttocks was legal, if no excessive force used etc. Must depend on the circs, age of child etc. Morally is of course a different issue, and we have a 100% no smacking ever policy.

[PurpleDaisies]

But I don't think it's possible to discuss smacking without thinking about the moral implications of hitting children.

[Stinkersmum]

You can legally smack your child. But if you leave a mark, bruise or scratch it can be considered as assault.

[car0line123]

Many apologies, I seem to have posted this twice, without even finishing my question. I have asked for this duplicate to be removed!

Thank you for the answers already given!

[PurpleDaisies]

Where is the other thread?

[car0line123]

just below this one in the list, they are just next to each other.

[PurpleDaisies]

Doh...I had the wrong topic open. Haven't had my coffee yet!

[bunchoffives]

Ha ha ha at 'gentle smack'.

My cat smacks her kittens when they play pounce on her tail as she's trying to sleep. Should I report to SS?

I don't like 'parenting' through physical force but I hate listening to the tortured reasoning of some helicopter middleclass parent who won't give it a rest too I feel like slapping them hard

I guess we're all human and certainly would try not to judge other parenting fails, having done too many of my own.

[car0line123]

same from the woman who managed to post a question mid-sentence without noticing. doh!