Physical punishment, like smacking, is illegal in Wales

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the law changing in Wales, which made the physical punishment of children illegal, we are launching a digital campaign on 6 March 2023 across Welsh Government social media platforms. The campaign will feature a new flm showing children who have been born into a modern and progressive Wales, where physical punishment is illegal, and children’s rights are protected. This campaign will help us to keep raising awareness of the change in law and promote Parenting. Give it time as a source of support for parents.

What’s the law on physical punishment in Wales?

• All physical punishment is illegal in Wales.
• Children have the same protection from assault as adults.
• This means the law is clear – easy for children, parents, professionals, and the public to understand.

Parenting. Give it time offers alternatives to physical punishment

Now that the law has been in force for nearly a year, we want to ensure that parents and carers in Wales have continued support when it comes to positive parenting techniques. Parenting. Give it time, offers practical tips and expert advice to encourage good behaviour from children aged 0-18, including alternatives to physical punishment​​​​​​​.

We need your continued support

We want to say a huge thank you for supporting the Ending Physical Punishment campaign. We want to continue to raise awareness of the law change, helping every child in Wales have the best start in life, that is why we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary since the law came into place! We have developed a new suite of digital assets including a short flm, static image, and carousel post for social media. The footage used for this campaign observes the joy and innocence of the children and parents from a parent and baby music class who all share something in common, they were all born around the law change on 21 March 2022. We would really value your continued support to spread the message, and to continue raising awareness that physical punishment is illegal in Wales. We have provided social media posts within this pack and accompanying creative assets on our asset bank to help you share the message to your networks. The creatives on the asset bank can be shared freely, but we ask that you please do not share the link to the asset bank publicly.