3. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services: The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:24 pm on 26 March 2019.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 4:24, 26 March 2019

I thank Mandy Jones for her contribution, and I thank her for sharing her experiences with us. I think I can only really reiterate that those people who are working closest with parents—the midwives, the health visitors, the social workers, the NSPCC, Barnardos—all those who work in a professional way closest to parents, they all want this law. They are desperate for us to bring in this law, because they see things first hand and they feel that there's no place for any form of physical punishment. I think—you know, you talk about parents who may tap their child and will they end up being criminalised. They will have plenty of opportunity in the long time we're going to take to let everybody know what this law is to know that that will not be acceptable and they can desist from doing it, and so I think they will have every opportunity, and, if they need help, we will offer help. So, I really feel that it's—. As I say, I appreciate very much your sharing what your experience was, but all those people who are involved and who are involved with cases of abuse say that they want this law to come in, that that will make their job easier, it'll make it clearer and it'll be better for them and for the children that they look after, and it is—. This Government is absolutely committed to trying to make children in Wales have the best possible start in life and I'm very proud, really, if we can make sure that there is no physical punishment in their lives.