Nursery World - Wales' smoke and smack ban

Care standards in England which allow registered childminders to smack the children in their care and smoke in front of them were left further out in the cold, as the National Assembly for Wales last week proposed to ban the measure. Scotland's proposed standards for childminders have already declined to follow those in England. Now the proposed Welsh standards, published last week and covering childminding and daycare services for children under eight, state clearly and unequivocally that children should never be smacked and that the childminder and others should not smoke in the presence of children.

Scotland's proposed standards for childminders have already declined to follow those in England. Now the proposed Welsh standards, published last week and covering childminding and daycare services for children under eight, state clearly and unequivocally that children should never be smacked and that the childminder and others should not smoke in the presence of children.

In England, the Department for Education and Skills decided that childminders should be allowed to smack children and smoke while they are caring for them with parents' consent, a move that has been bitterly opposed by the National Childminding Association.

Robert Smith, National Childminding Association marketing director, said, 'We are very pleased that the draft standards for Wales have taken this policy line on smoking and smacking and we hope the wisdom that has been demonstrated on these issues in Wales will prevail when the standards in England are eventually revised.'

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