MPs are being urged to back an early day motion to stop parents inflicting physical injuries on children in the name of 'reasonable chastisement'. The motion was tabled last week by David Hinchcliffe, chair of the Commons select committee on health. The committee concluded that the 'reasonable chastisement' defence can impede the prosecution of child abuse cases and should be scrapped. Head of policy and public affairs at the NSPCC Liz Atkins said, 'Children's and young people's voices are not being heard in the physical punishment debate. Children are less protected from being hit than anyone else in society, even though they are the smallest and most vulnerable. MPs need to listen to what they say.'
MPs are being urged to back an early day motion to stop parents inflicting physical injuries on children in the name of 'reasonable chastisement'. The motion was tabled last week by David Hinchcliffe, chair of the Commons select committee on health. The committee concluded that the 'reasonable chastisement' defence can impede the prosecution of child abuse cases and should be scrapped. Head of policy and public affairs at the NSPCC Liz Atkins said, 'Children's and young people's voices are not being heard in the physical punishment debate. Children are less protected from being hit than anyone else in society, even though they are the smallest and most vulnerable. MPs need to listen to what they say.'
