One year anniversary for Wales smacking ban
It's been 12 months since the change in the law here in Wales
A year ago today, parents in Wales were banned from smacking their children.
The change in the law made all types of physical punishment illegal and gave children equal protection from violence as adults
Those who're found to have broken the law are being given help by parenting professionals as part of an out of court parenting support scheme.
During the first six months of the law change, 55 people were given support.
Childcare professionals say it's given clarity on what was previously a grey area regarding physical punishment of children.
There are now calls from charities like the NSPCC for England to follow Wales and Scotland and bring in a ban.
A new YouGov poll - commissioned by the NSPCC to mark the one-year anniversary in Wales – has revealed that for a second year in a row two thirds of people (67%) across England think physically disciplining a child isn't acceptable.
Of those who expressed an opinion 63% believe that a change of law to end physical punishment should be passed in England.
In fact, three in five (60%) thought it was already illegal to physically punish a child.
NSPCC Cymru Assistant Director Tracey Holdsworth said: “It is encouraging to see how public attitudes towards the physical punishment of children are shifting in Wales.
“Findings from early 2022 show that in Wales, almost two thirds of people disagree with the physical punishment of children, and there is now also a solid majority who hold a similar view in England.
“As we now mark one year since the new law came into effect in Wales, we hope even more people will come to the conclusion that children deserve the same protection from assault as given to adults.”