Scotland bans smacking

[youmakeiteasyto]

Apparently Wales to follow. I cannot quite believe that smacking is still legal. I hope this is the beginning of more change.

Sorry I can't get the below to work as a link.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/07/scotland-becomes-first-uk-nation-to-ban-smacking-children

Really good move, I hope England follows. It should never have been ok to smack a child ever.

The French banned smacking last year but it was considered little more than a symbolic gesture because there was no will or scope to enforce it. Will this be any different?

It sends the messege that hitting a child is wrong, that's not a bad thing. Especially if you are a child being constantly hit. How many people grew up not questioning being smacked? It's a practice that belongs in the past imho

Fuck off gerbil.

Hopefully England will follow suit too.

No doubt there will soon be people telling us why hitting children is an ok thing to do...

I agree, it is a parenting method that is increasingly consigned to the past and that has been achieved without legislation.

I'm not convinced that this change in the law will be the nudge that convinces those who continue to smack their children to move to another strategy.

Honestly, I think it's lazy. I think it's relatively cheap to criminalise these parents that fund the kind of parenting hubs we had with sure start centres that might have actually had a real impact.

Than fund

I think it's relatively cheap to criminalise these parents that fund the kind of parenting hubs we had with sure start centres that might have actually had a real impact
That's a fair point.

I am sure all Scottish children will be aware of this at a young age, and some use it to get some favours from parents. Though I agree it is something from a bygone age.

I think the difficulties with enforcement are not that different to those which apply to domestic abuse in general. I think it's still important to officially say this isn't ok. That is an important message. I also think it will have some impact.

I agree re SureStart. The legal change shouldn't happen in isolation. I hope that there is funding for parenting courses etc. I think it is of course linked to mental health, economy etc. Like many other crimes. I agree with funding support services - but that shouldn't be an alternative to protecting children at a legal level. Children deserve that status and protection under the law that we give to adults.

I also think in a back to front way, criminalising the behaviour will generate funding for support.

I don't agree, although I guess we'll find out which of us is right over time.

I think accessing parenting courses (and actually parenting courses are fundamentally different to a parenting hub) will become much harder to access if you must first declare yourself as a criminal or if you may be revealed as a criminal and you fear the consequences that may follow.

Rubbish fourtealfallout Scotland offers parenting courses through HV and nurseries they are online or physical (not atm obviously) without having to prove you are a "criminal"

Sorry, I'm making dinner at the same time and reading that back I've made it sound like you don't believe parenting course and hubs are different. I simply meant to say I think the hubs had far more value in being a reliable and easily accessed source of help and support.

Jersey did it a few years ago

No, but once you make smacking illegal then accessing courses becomes a riskier prospect for parents who want help to avoid smacking.

I don't think it will be difficult at all. I'm sorry if I came across as short Fourteafallout another poster set me on edge and I over reacted

That's alright, I didn't think you were short at all. Fwiw I hope I am wrong.

Interesting to read other views.

I doubt a conservative Government would ever go for that. They won’t want the accusations of “nanny state”.
This year, I think that ship has sailed; poor old conservative government, having to be the ultimate nanny state this year. I'm surprised we haven't heard the phrase "nanny state" more this year.

(Misses the point of the thread)

That's alright, I didn't think you were short at all. Fwiw I hope I am wrong.

I don't think there will be repercussions for parents doing courses asking for support. I used to work with parents who struggled and we tried to be non judgemental.