Consultation on the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

Tystiolaeth i’r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar gyfer craffu Cyfnod 1 Bil Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru)

Evidence submitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

CADRP-382

CADRP-382

 

About you

Individual

1      The Bill’s general principles

1.1     Do you support the principles of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill?

— No

1.2     Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

I believe the primary responsbility of raising children and instilling the right values in them rests with the parent(s) and not the state. The parent(s) understand their child more than any external carer could, including how they absorb information. We live in a society where actions have consequences. Therefore, I think it is right that a child learns this in a loving home environment before they're released into the society when they're grown up. Obviously, I do not support abuse in any shape or form and when there is evidence of this, we have professionals in schools that can spot this and deal with it accordingly.

1.3     Do you think there is a need for legislation to deliver what this Bill is trying to achieve?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

No. Each child is different and their parents know how best to inculcate the right values in in them. Legislating how parents should raise their children is a very dangerous thing to do.

2      The Bill’s implementation

2.1     Do you have any comments about any potential barriers to  implementing the Bill? If no, go to question 3.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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2.2     Do you think the Bill takes account of these potential barriers?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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3      Unintended consequences

3.1     Do you think there are there any unintended consequences arising from the Bill? If no, go to question 4.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

Yes.

The society risks raising a generation of people with questionable morals who whose sense of judgements could have been better if certain bad habits had been taken from them in a loving home environment, with the knowledge that actions ave consequences and some of those consequences are not desirable.

Furthermore, if this bill goes through, the state risks a lithany of litigations against caring and loving parents by over zealous public workers/government officials.

4      Financial implications

4.1     Do you have any comments on the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum)? If no, go to question 5.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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5      Other considerations

5.1     Do you have any other points you wish to raise about this Bill?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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