Overview

• The House of Lords is debating an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would abolish the 'reasonable punishment' defence for physical discipline of children.
• Thirteen leading health organizations, including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, have issued an open letter urging lawmakers to back the amendment.
• Experts cite decades of research showing that physical punishment is harmful to children’s mental health and developmental outcomes.
• The 'reasonable punishment' defence, established under the Children Act 2004, is criticized as vague, enabling harmful practices and complicating child abuse investigations.
• If passed, the amendment would align England’s child protection laws with those of Scotland and Wales, where smacking is already banned.