Prominent paediatricians in the United Kingdom have called on government officials to prohibit parental corporal punishment in Northern Ireland, stating it is unfair, perilous and injurious to children. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health voiced its concern on Wednesday, expressing outrage that while physical child punishment is outlawed in Scotland and Wales, it remains legal in Northern Ireland and England. The health institution warned that children who experience corporal punishment are much more likely to struggle with mental health issues, academic difficulties, and instances of physical assault or abuse.
The college strongly objected to parents in Northern Ireland being able to assert that smacking their child is “reasonable punishment”, as currently permitted by law. The group of child health experts demanded that the UK’s education secretary, Gillian Keegan, introduce an amendment to this law before the anticipated general election later this year. All political parties were encouraged to include this commitment in their election manifestos.
Dr Andrew Rowland, a paediatric consultant and the college’s officer for child protection, decried the current laws on physical punishment as unfair and dangerously nonspecific. This ambiguity, he stated, complicates the conversation with families about guidelines relating to corporal punishment, thereby making it more challenging to discuss children’s best interests.
Speaking from his own experience at his Manchester clinics, Dr Rowland said he frequently attends to children who have been a victim of physical punishment, including smacks, slaps or even being hit with various objects. He described instances of children being struck with items like spoons, cables from phone chargers or laptop chargers used as whips, which can result in injuries requiring medical intervention. He stressed his belief that this behaviour is unacceptable for all children, irrespective of circumstances, noting the confusion, anger and distress it causes.
Bess Herbert, a proponent for child welfare at the activist organisation Seeking an End to Corporal Punishment, mentioned that “multiple research works” have unveiled that smacking can result in not only tangible and emotional injury but also hinder cognitive growth, escalate the likelihood of quitting education prematurely, and foster a culture of violence, hostility and antisocial activities in adulthood.
In terms of international norms, Professor Rowland noted that England and Northern Ireland are lagging behind, with 65 nations having outlawed smacking while another 27 have pledged to do likewise.
Joanna Barrett, who is responsible for policy at NSPCC, echoed the university’s sentiment, claiming that “children should have the same entitlement as adults to protection from assault.”
She further highlighted that in England and Northern Ireland, youngsters are still vulnerable to a legal discrepancy, which jeopardises their fundamental safeguards under the pretence of ‘reasonable punishment’. – according to the Guardian.