The amendment to the Bill has been put forward by a cross-party group of MPs and aims to abolish the legal defence of 'reasonable chastisement' and give children the same protection in law from assault as adults.
The current law allows parents to discipline children with a smack as long as it does no more than cause a temporary reddening of the skin.
Labour MP Kevin Barron, chair of the all-party Commons health committee, has tabled the amendment, which is supported by Conservative MP John Bercow, Liberal Democrat Annette Brooke, Labour MP Julie Morgan, Elfyn Llwyd from Plaid Cymru and Richard Taylor, an independent MP.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here