Nearly three years after Wales implemented a landmark ban on smacking children, the debate over physical punishment remains as heated as ever. For some, like Mari Ellis Dunning, a 32-year-old mother of two from Aberystwyth, the very notion that smacking was once legal seems unfathomable. "I don't know why I would ever feel the need to physically harm a child," Dunning told BBC News. For her, parenting is about compassion first: "How can you possibly teach them to become well-regulated adults by physically harming them?"
The Welsh government introduced the ban in March 2022, making any form of corporal punishment illegal. This move removed the longstanding legal defense of "reasonable chastisement," meaning that anyone who smacks a child in their care in Wales can now be arrested and prosecuted for assault. The legislation was intended to "protect children's rights whilst adopting an educating and preventative approach which avoids criminalising parents," according to a recent government review.
Since the ban came into force, the landscape of discipline in Wales has shifted significantly. Hundreds of parents have been referred to out-of-court parenting courses as an alternative to prosecution. Between April 2022 and March 2025 alone, 365 individuals were sent for parenting support by police, with 310 completing the course and 265 reporting positive outcomes. This approach is designed to educate rather than punish, reflecting a broader trend toward "positive parenting techniques and awareness from parents and carers," as highlighted in the government’s report.
Interestingly, data from three of Wales’ four police forces revealed that 6,200 cases of physical punishment were reported since the ban was implemented—an increase from 3,900 cases before the ban. Despite this apparent rise in reported incidents, the review found that "fewer than five" cases had been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, and crucially, no one in Wales has been convicted of common assault or battery on a child in their care since the legislation took effect.
For Wales’ Social Justice Cabinet Secretary Jane Hutt, these results are a point of pride. "I thank all of those who played their part in this legislation...because this is something that we must be very proud of," Hutt said. She emphasized that the review "shows the law is embedding well" and that the act’s aim "is being realised in practice." The government maintains that the law is working as intended: safeguarding children’s rights while ensuring that parents are educated, not criminalized.
Not everyone is convinced. Simon Calvert, spokesperson for the Be Reasonable campaign group, has been a vocal opponent of the ban. He argues that the law is "costing the taxpayer millions, diverting police from serious crime and placing unnecessary strain on social services." Calvert contends that instead of focusing on cases of actual neglect and abuse, professionals are now "being drawn into intrusive investigations of ordinary, loving families." He questioned the government’s positive assessment, saying, "It is impossible to reconcile the Welsh government's claim that implementation is 'progressing well' with the data it has produced."
Sociologist Dr Ashley Frawley, from the Centre for Parenting Culture Studies at the University of Kent and a supporter of Be Reasonable, expressed concerns about the impact of investigations on families. "Being investigated for assaulting your child is huge," Dr Frawley said, noting that such an investigation could remain on a person’s record even without prosecution. She also pointed out that many parents employ a style of authoritative parenting that "often uses smacking as a back-up method combined with a lot of love." According to Dr Frawley, "The vast majority of parents know the difference between beating a child and a light tap."
Yet, support for the ban appears strong among both the public and professionals. Antonia Merola Jones, a single parent from Mold, Flintshire, said she was "delighted to see it introduced in Wales and I'm proud that we have such a great approach to tackling this problem." As head of marketing and communications at a university, Jones believes that physical punishment offers "no proven benefits and creates a risk of harm." She added, "Growing up in the 1980s, smacking was accepted but now it is very much frowned upon." Jones called for England to follow Wales’ example, stating, "I just want to see it widely introduced. I think England should learn from Wales and potentially introduce this across the border too."
Indeed, the debate is not confined to Wales. While Scotland has also outlawed corporal punishment, England and Northern Ireland still permit smacking under the "reasonable punishment" defense, a principle dating back to 1860 and enshrined in the Children Act of 2004. Leading child doctors and charities have called for similar bans to be adopted across the remaining UK nations.
Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, praised what he called the "trailblazing work" in Wales, saying it had "changed public opinion and improved social services' ability to safeguard children." Sherwood pointed to the review’s findings as further evidence that "physical punishment is harmful, ineffective and damages the trust and wellbeing at the heart of family relationships." He questioned why England and Northern Ireland were "lagging behind" in adopting similar protections for children.
The Welsh government’s review acknowledged that some professionals, including police, reported an increase in time-consuming processes as a result of the new legislation. However, it also noted that these challenges had been "partially mitigated" and that the overall aim of the act was being fulfilled. The review concluded that there is "a general trend towards disapproval of physical punishment," suggesting that the law is not only changing behaviors but also attitudes.
As the debate continues, the experience in Wales is being closely watched by policymakers and parents alike. For supporters, the ban represents a progressive step toward safeguarding children’s rights and fostering healthier family relationships. For critics, it is a costly and intrusive measure that diverts resources from more serious cases of abuse and neglect. What is clear is that the conversation around physical punishment and parenting in the UK is far from over—and the Welsh example is sure to remain at the heart of it.
With no convictions since the ban’s introduction, but thousands of cases reported and hundreds of parents educated through alternative measures, Wales stands as a real-world test case for a new approach to child discipline—one that other nations may soon be pressed to follow or challenge in their own way.
