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UK

England

In 1998, 76 children aged 5 - 7 in England talked to two researchers about smackingThis is a word that is used in the UK to describe adults hitting children, especially young children, to punish them.. The researchers explained to the children that Splodge, an alien from another planet, wanted to ask them some questions about smacking. The children answered Splodge's questions in small groups.

Read the children's main messages about smacking. Or download a short report about the study (Opens .pdf file).



In 2009, 45 children aged under 5 talked to a researcher about smackingThis is a word that is used in the UK to describe adults hitting children, especially young children, to punish them.. Most of the children said that smacking was bad and that it hurts physically and emotionally.

Read the children's main messages. (Opens .pdf file). Or read a short report about the study. (Opens .pdf file).



Wales

In 2000 - 2002, researchers in Wales used the same method to ask 77 children aged 4 - 10 about their views on smacking.

Read about what they said. Or download a short report about the study (Opens .pdf file).



Scotland

In 2000, a very big study on children's opinions on smacking was done in Scotland. Over 1300 children aged 6 - 18 talked about what they thought and filled in a written questionnaire. Find out more.



Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, children aged 4 - 11 also talked and wrote about their opinions. Find out more.



Government Research

In 2007, the UK Government reviewed the law on corporal punishment. As part of this, they asked some children and young people in England and Wales what they thought.

64 children aged 4 - 16 took part in this research. Here are some of the things they said:

  • They experienced various kinds of punishment at home, including verbal punishment (including "telling off" or shouting), taking away things the children liked, doing extra work or chores and physical punishment - mostly "smacking".
  • Most of the children who took part had been smacked. Younger children were more likely to be smacked.
  • The researchers thought that various things affected whether children thought smacking was acceptable. The most important thing was whether or not they had been smacked themselves. Children who had never been smacked all thought that smacking was unacceptable. But children who had been smacked were more likely to think that smacking was OK.
  • Other things that the researchers thought affected children's opinions about smacking included the children's age, social class, family, school and friends.
  • Overall, most of the children "struggled to endorse smacking as an effective form of punishment".

Download the study report (Opens .pdf file).