Children and smacking: what changes to the law mean for nurses

Laws on physically punishing children vary across the UK. Find out how this affects your practice, and how to respond if you see a child being smacked by an adult

• Physically punishing children has been banned in Scotland and Wales
• In England and Northern Ireland it is deemed unlawful to physically punish a child except in circumstances of ‘reasonable chastisement’
• What constitutes physical punishment, and what is expected of nurses in terms of safeguarding vulnerable patients

Smacking a child as a form of punishment or to control a child’s behaviour is a controversial issue, which divides public opinion.

Recent legal changes mean different parts of the UK have differing