CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, Motion Corporal Punishment of Young People Conference notes that: • Research clearly shows that corporal punishment of children is ineffective as a form of discipline legitimizes violence and may have long lasting effects on the selfesteem and mental health of individuals • There is growing public support for protecting children and reforming the law on physical punishment of children Professional support for this measure is near unanimous • The UK must be brought into line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 19 ratified by all the member states of the Council of Europe and the European Social Charter Article 17 • Sixteen other European countries have already passed laws to protect children from physical punishment Conference believes that: • Children who are among the most vulnerable in our society have the right to the same protection under the law on assault as any adult • Reforming the law has an important part to play in changing attitudes and encouraging parents to use effective non violent methods of discipline • Law reform must be accompanied by a public education campaign about the detrimental effects of hitting children and alternative positive parenting methods and a committed investment in family services to support parents Conference therefore calls for legislation to ban all physical punishment of children a public education campaign on positive methods of discipline and an increase in universally available services to support parents with positive parenting Debated amendment Following on from section Conference believes that; Delete: Reforming the law from second bullet point and replace with Education In third bullet point delete: Law reform must be accompanied by and replace with We require In final paragraph delete; legislation to ban all physical punishment of children Which would then read; Conference therefore calls for a public education campaign on positive methods of discipline and an increase in universally available services to support parents with positive parenting Uncontested amendment Add after family services to support parents: At the same time as socialists we recognise that poverty lack of support networks and cuts in council services all increase the pressures on parents and make it mor! e difficult to live up to the models of good parenting We should therefore challenge all attempts by New Labour politicians to scapegoat poor parents over this issue and in all our publicity should highlight the need for services which address the material social and emotional needs of parents primary carers and children particularly in deprived areas