SWU to attend the Parliamentary Policy Roundtable on Equal Protection of Children Against Assault

SWU is a key member of the Working Group on Equal Protection of Children Against Assault and looks forward to a Policy Roundtable in Parliament on Tuesday 21st June at 11am.

This roundtable marks three months since the banning of the corporal punishment of children in Wales, known as the ‘smacking ban’. This major reform has been celebrated for promoting children’s safeguarding and wellbeing in Wales and the Working Group are now looking to further the debate in England.  

SWU General Secretary John McGowan will be part of the group sharing views and discussing further the issue of corporal punishment of children, and how to further this campaign in England.  We are pleased to be involved with the leading figures in Wales, Baroness Finlay and other interested parliamentarians, representatives of the Association of Education Psychologists, the Royal College of GPs and other children's organisations.

The Case for Banning Smacking

In this episode of the Let’s Talk Social Work podcast BASW’s Andy McClenaghan is joined by Baroness Joan Walmsley, Co-Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, Kate Fallon, General Secretary of the Association of Educational Psychologists and John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union to discuss what the law says about the corporal punishment of children, the impacts it has, and efforts being pursued to ban smacking in England. They explore recent changes to the legal landscape in Scotland and Wales, the situation globally and how a smacking ban would affect social workers.

Listen to the Let’s Talk Social Work podcast episode “The Case for Banning Smacking” here.

For information on positive alternatives to smacking provided by the Welsh Government, please visit their webpage with advice to help support your child’s emotions and behaviour throughout their development.