From today, Saturday 07 November, it is now illegal to smack children in Scotland.
The law comes into force today, after being passed in Holyrood by all parties in 2019, making Scotland the first part of the UK to implement such a rule. Sweden was first to introduce this law in 1979 and actually Scotland is catching up being the 58th country to do so.
Seeking to give children the same protection as adults, the new law means parents could face prosecution for any use of physical punishment on their children. It includes hitting such as smacking, slapping and smacking with a hand or an implement, as well as kicking, shaking or throwing children, scratching, pinching, biting, pulling hair or boxing ears, forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions, burning, scalding or forced ingestion.
Children’s charity the NSPCC said Scotland’s ban was a “common sense” move.
The charity’s Joanna Barrett said: “This law sets out in clear terms that physical punishment should no longer be part of childhood in Scotland and it marks a momentous step in making it a country where children’s rights are truly recognised, respected and fulfilled.”
Wales has voted to follow in 2022. There are no plans to introduce the law in NI or England at present.
