SMACKING NOW MEANS JAIL

[Ravenfire]

Parents who give their children anything other than the mildest of smacks face up to five years in jail after the introduction of new laws. The legislation bans any smacking that leaves a mark on the child but does allow mild taps. If the smack causes bruises, grazes, scratches, minor swelling or cuts the perpetrator could be charged with common assault. But it has been criticised by child protection groups for not being a total ban and others for interfering in parents' rights to bring up their children.

NSPCC boss Mary Marsh said: "Hitting a child remains legal, as long as parents do not cause children injury amounting to anything more transient than a reddening of the skin. "The new law is flawed - there is a risk that parents may choose to hit children on parts of their body where injury is less visible."

Some 47 Labour MPs voted for a total ban on smacking when the law was introduced in the Children Act last November. But a spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills insisted the Government would not tolerate violence against children. She said: "This common-sense decision balances the essential need for children to be protected with the right of parents not to have government interfering in family life."

[lisa1980]

i am sick of the goverment telling us how to be parents no wonder the economy is in such a bad state i agree that excessive smacking or hitting should not be allowed but now anything that leaves a mark is ridicoulous next we'll be in court for any buises they get. The goverment should stick to runing the goverment and leave the parenting to us.

there's my view :D

[lizzie]

When i was a kid we were belted with a leather belt it did me no harm , i don't smack my kids cause i don't think there is need for it , but if the need arised yes a smack on the bum can't harm anyone , but saying that i'm about to punch my ex hubby for brusing kurtis's bum last week , so if marked then parents should get done

[supamom]

:angry-smiley-005: I think the government are a bunch of idiots. How in hells name is this going to stop the real perpetraitors of child abuse???? All this is going to do is stretch police and social services, making them so busy getting involved in genuine parenting and missing the b*****ds that are seriously abusing their children and putting those childrens lives at risk.

They want to consentrate their efforts more on the real abuse cases, and make sure that those people are locked away for a very long time, well, forever really.

The other thing that annoys me about this is that how dare ANYONE tell us as parents how we can and can't disipline our children. I don't like smacking particularly, but there are times and events in our house that i feel warrant a warning smack. For instance, JP is always gettin into stuff that i feel he could hurt himself with, and i use either a smack to the hand or leg to emphasise my point. I'd rather that then him seriously injure himself messing with stuff that is dangerous.

[lizzie]

Half of problem supamom social services are already under so much pressure real abuse cases are going un noticed now even in this day and age , how the hell can they keep up , there's so many kids in care and not enough foster parents about , but then again kids have gone to foster parents and been abused there , its a no win situation