Problem
Parental punishment
Other Names:
Corporal punishment in the homeParental beating of children
Painful physical discipline of children
Spanking
Nature:
Some parents may choose to punish their children by physically hitting them, either with the hand or with a cane, strap, or other implement. There is no evidence that such physical punishment has a positive effect on the child's behaviour. On the contrary, it is a form of assault from which adults are legally protected but children are not.
Incidence:
A UK childminder was refused re-registration after resisting the professional guidelines which prohibit slapping, smacking or shaking of children in care.
A 1995 US survey of parents claimed that 65% had spanked their child. Half the parents agreed with the statement that it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with 'a good hard spanking'.
Broader Problems:
PunishmentPhysical maltreatment of childrenDeteriorating social environments for raising children Aggravates:
Family violenceMental depression in children Reduced By:
Spoilt childrenStrategies:
Employing domestic violencePreventing physical punishment of childrenRehabilitating traumatized childrenAdministering painCondemning physical discipline of childrenUsing corporal punishmentPunishing childrenBeating children Organizations:
International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)Nordic Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NASPCAN)Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC)International Children's Care (ICC)South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC)African Network for Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN)Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (End Violence Against Children)World Childhood FoundationAfricans Unite against Child Abuse (AFRUCA)ChildHope UKChildren UnitePan African Organisation for Research and Protection of Violence on Women and Children (PAORP-VWC)Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of ChildrenUnited Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)World Health Organization (WHO)Humanitarian Crisis Hub Subject(s):
Societal Problems → MaltreatmentSocietal Problems → Punishment
Society → Infants
Society → Maternity, paternity
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems Date of last update
17.10.2021 – 11:00 CEST