By Sia Aston
An independent review of the anti-smacking law has found that the law is working well, and its opponents' fears are unfounded.
Apart from recommending that there be more advice available to worried parents, the review has found that the law should stay as it is.
Former opponent of the law and parenting show host Nigel Latta says it is working, and frontline workers are not treating parents who smack any differently than they were before.
“I’m personally reassured,” he says. “The law hasn’t made any difference to frontline social work or police work.”
Prime Minister John Key asked Mr Latta to head the review because he was seen as politically independent and, given his opposition to the law, could not be seen to be simply toeing the Government line.
Key says the findings validate his belief the law is working.
“My view has always been if we were to reverse the law we should do so – if it isn’t working,” he says. “At this point, broadly speaking, it is.”
The review makes a few recommendations:
- More information for parents about what their rights are
- An after hours helpline for parents manned by Child Youth and Family
- Better monitoring of the law, by Child Youth and Family and police
Police have reviewed the law six times in the past two years and found there has been one prosecution for smacking, which was withdrawn, and 35 warnings.
There were also 13 prosecutions for minor acts of physical discipline.
But opponent to the law, Family First, has publicly highlighted cases where it says parents were treated too harshly for disciplining their children.
Mr Latta investigated those cases and says, in every one of them, police and social workers responded appropriately.
“The difficulty for Family First is all they have is the account of the person talking to them, and people aren’t always completely honest about the stuff that’s gone on.”
He says while police may appear heavy handed at first glance, his findings show there are often aggravating factors that prove their reaction well-founded.
3 News