I'm absolutely delighted that the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 came into force yesterday. The Government has a long-standing commitment to children’s rights, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Our strong focus on children’s rights, and respecting children and young people as citizens in their own right, will help ensure their needs are met and their ambitions realised, making Wales a truly wonderful place to grow up in.

Consistent with our approach, and with the UNCRC article 19, children now have legal protection from all forms of violence. The law sends the message that no physical punishment is acceptable in Wales, making it clear and easy for everyone to understand: children should never be physically punished, under any circumstances. Terms like 'light smack' or 'loving smack' make light of physical punishment in a way that would be totally unacceptable if applied to adults. After decades of campaigning, I'm glad children in Wales now have the same legal protection from assault as adults. Children, who are more physically and emotionally vulnerable than adults, deserve nothing less. Simply put, big people shouldn’t hit little people.

The clarity in the law will provide a clearer and more consistent basis for practitioners to support parents to adopt positive forms of discipline. From the outset, we said we would put every effort into effective implementation of the Act and ensuring public, professionals and parents would be prepared for when the law changed. We've worked with many partners across key sectors, including health, education, local authorities, social services, police, the Crown Prosecution Service, youth justice, the third sector and community leaders, and I'm grateful for their determination to work collaboratively implementing the Act. And I would particularly like to thank the Children's Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland, for her absolute commitment to this issue and for working steadfastly to promote and safeguard children's rights.