<p>
	Child welfare groups have called for slapping to be outlawed after a survey found two in five parents admit to hitting their child.</p>
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	The survey also found parents are largely at sea when it comes to the best way to discipline a child &mdash; two-thirds believe there is not enough information available to them.</p>
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	Carried out on behalf of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) and the Children&rsquo;s Rights Alliance, the survey also found:</p>
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	* Two in five adults do not support a blanket ban on slapping;</p>
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	* Almost three-quarters of parents (73%) view slapping as an ineffective disciplinary tool;</p>
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	* The most popular method of discipline is incentives for good behaviour, with four in five parents subscribing to this;</p>
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	* Grounding was the least popular, with less than half of parents resorting to this method.</p>
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	Of the two in five adults who admitted to hitting their child, just 1% said they did it often.</p>
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	ISPCC director of services, Caroline O&rsquo;Sullivan, said there was overwhelming evidence that slapping is ineffective in changing a child&rsquo;s behaviour.</p>
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	&ldquo;We know that slapping children is harmful, it is ineffective and has innumerable negative effects such as increased aggression in children, increased anti-social behaviour and damage to the parent-child relationship,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	She said it was time for the Government to implement a ban on slapping in all settings without delay.</p>
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	Corporal punishment has been banned in schools since 1982 but not in the home, despite the fact that Ireland has been found in breach of the European Social Charter &mdash; which guarantees social and economic human rights &mdash; because of the lack of an explicit prohibition. There is no ban on physical punishment of children by parents/caregivers despite the fact teachers who administer corporal punishment are liable to be charged with assault.</p>
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	Ireland is in a minority of 11 EU member states not to have outlawed corporal punishment.</p>
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	Children&rsquo;s Rights Alliance chief, Tanya Ward, said they were calling on the Government &ldquo;to remove the common law defence of &lsquo;reasonable chastisement&rsquo;, and legislate for an outright ban on violence against children in all settings&rdquo;.</p>
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	&ldquo;This is not only a child protection concern but a key human rights issue,&rdquo; Ms Ward said.</p>
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	ISPCC regional services manager Tracey Monson said previous surveys of children&rsquo;s views on slapping had shown &ldquo;the hurt, upset and confusion it causes&rdquo;.</p>
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	A large-scale positive parenting programme was needed, she said.</p>
<p>
	Responding to the findings, the Department of Children said research it commissioned (Growing up in Ireland) shows that the great majority of parents do not use smacking as a form of discipline and that the most frequently used method was &ldquo;discussing/explaining&rdquo; why the behaviour was wrong.</p>
<p>
	The statement said there was &ldquo;a balance to be found between supporting parents in effective parenting, in particular, in use of non-violent forms of discipline, and the use of criminal law to impose criminal sanctions on parents who do not adhere to best practice in parenting&rdquo;.</p>
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	It also said parents were increasingly avoiding physical punishment.</p>
<p>
	Slapping ban</p>
<p>
	* Just under a quarter of adults believe corporal punishment is an effective way to discipline a child. This belief is stronger among males.</p>
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	* Of the three in five who support an outright ban, support is higher among the working class, those living in Leinster, the under-35s and those with children aged under five.</p>
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	* Older generations were found more likely to have disciplined their children by slapping.</p>
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	* The survey found slapping appears to be more common outside of Dublin.</p>
<p>
	http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/child-welfare-groups-want-slapping-outlawed-258025.html</p>
