Institute warns NI smacking ban would “compromise child safety” as new study finds no evidence of harm

Belfast – The Christian Institute has warned that a proposed smacking ban in Northern Ireland could endanger children by diverting vital police resources, after a major new review found no evidence that mild physical discipline causes negative outcomes.

The warning follows an amendment to the Justice Bill tabled by Alliance MLA Michelle Guy, which seeks to criminalise parents for ‘reasonable chastisement’.

James Kennedy, NI Policy Officer for The Christian Institute, argues that criminalising parents is dangerous if the practice itself is harmless:

“Our new report confirms there is no evidence that mild smacking causes harm.

“Because of this, a new law would do nothing to protect children. Instead, it would criminalise loving parents and divert police and social services away from genuine abuse cases. By blurring the distinction between ordinary parenting and assault, a ban would directly compromise child safety.”

Major new scientific review: The report, Does Smacking Contribute to Negative Outcomes for Children?, is a narrative review of 37 peer-reviewed studies. It focuses on associations between physical punishment and children’s behaviour and mental health, and the impact of parental warmth.

Its key findings include:

• No causal link: Research has identified associations but has never proven that physical punishment causes negative outcomes like aggression or low self-esteem. The report finds there could be many other explanations.
• The ‘warmth’ factor: In loving homes, mild discipline may be linked to neutral or even positive outcomes, as parental warmth eliminates potential negative effects.
• Data gaps: Many studies relied on by ban advocates measure outcomes only at very young ages (three to five years old), leaving gaps in understanding long-term effects.

Academic backing: The report features a foreword by four academics, including Dr Ashley Frawley (University of Kent) and Professor Ellie Lee (Director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent), who critique the evidence often used to justify bans:

“…we find that many of the claims being made about this ‘harmful’ practice are more confusing than clarifying, and more driven by a desired result than anything close to an objective or scientific study of parents and children”.

Dr Ashley Frawley said:

“This report exposes the shaky foundations for claims that even the mildest physical discipline scars children for life. Policymakers at Stormont should prioritise real support for families over ideologically driven laws that ignore context and common sense.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

The full report is available at the.ci/nismackingreview