UK rules on smacking

Parents can hit children - 22nd May 2023

The UK government's refused to ban physical punishment for children. Children's charities and activists would like to protect children.

But the government trusts parents to decide how to punish their children. The Department of Education said that the government's already made laws to protect children against violence.

Children's charities and activists disagree with this decision. Sir Peter Wanless said that it's strange that it's illegal to hit an adult but legal to hit kids.

In England and Northern Ireland, parents are allowed to punish their children. But, the law says it should be "reasonable punishment". The Children Act of 2004 explains what is reasonable punishment. There should be no physical harm to children. This is illegal.

But activists say this isn't clear. What parents and society think is reasonable punishment can be different.

Most people in England are against hitting children. Hitting children in schools was made illegal in 1986. But in Northern Ireland, teachers could still hit students until the 2000s. In 2020, Scotland banned it completely and Wales did the same in 2022.

But in England and Northern Ireland, parents can still hit children.