Nursery World - Parents oppose 'smacking' ruling

Justice minister Jim Wallace has said that he will take on board the outcome of a survey of Scottish parents which found that a majority oppose the Executive's proposals to ban the smacking of children under three years old. The Scottish Parent-Teacher Council survey found that 56 per cent of parents believed it should not be illegal for parents to smack children under three. However, parents strongly supported the Executive's proposal to ban the use of implements to hit children of any age, with 94 per cent in agreement. Parents also rejected the call by many children's charities to make it illegal to smack a child of any age, by 83 per cent.

The Scottish Parent-Teacher Council survey found that 56 per cent of parents believed it should not be illegal for parents to smack children under three. However, parents strongly supported the Executive's proposal to ban the use of implements to hit children of any age, with 94 per cent in agreement. Parents also rejected the call by many children's charities to make it illegal to smack a child of any age, by 83 per cent.

Mr Wallace said he would take the findings into account and called for a 'mature debate' on the legislation, due to be published next month. He added that the principle at stake was that there was an age under which it was wrong for a child to be struck. 'We have said that we think that age should be three but have repeatedly said that we want to hear the views of others.'

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