Parenting isn’t always easy; the Welsh Government’s Parenting. Give it time campaign wants to help by providing positive parenting information, advice and support for parents with children up to the age of 18.
Just three months since physical punishment of children became illegal a series of parenting information roadshows will visit locations across Wales between June and September 2022.
The roadshows will offer informal public drop-in sessions at supermarkets and public events, providing practical advice on positive parenting techniques and an opportunity to find out more about the new law on physical punishment.
Representatives from local authority parenting and family support services and Parenting: Give it time will be on hand to talk all things parenting.
The roadshows coincide with a new national advertising campaign, ‘Not here’, which raises awareness that physical punishment, like smacking, is now illegal in Wales.
The full list of dates and venues are as follows
- Thursday 30 June, 9.30-12.30: ASDA Cardiff Bay, Ferry Road Retail Park, Cardiff, CF11 OJR
- Thursday 7 July, 9.30-12.30: ASDA Llansamlet, Upper Forest Way, Swansea, SA6 8PS
- Thursday 14 July: 9.30-12.30: ASDA Bridgend, Coychurch Road, Bridgend, CF31 3AG
- Thursday 18 August, 9.30-12.30: Denbigh and Flint Fair, The Green, Denbigh, LL16 3NU
- Thursday 1 September, 9.30-12.30: Tesco Extra Newport, Unit 3, Harlech Retail Park, Cardiff Road, Newport NP20 3BA
- Thursday 15 September, 9.30-12.30: Tesco Aberystwyth, Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, SY23 1PB
Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Social Services, said, “When we introduced the law to end physical punishment we were always very clear that the necessary information, advice and support had to be there for parents. That’s why we’re investing up to an additional £2.8m, over four years, to increase the capacity of local authorities in Wales to provide positive parenting support.
“The all-Wales roadshow events will be a great opportunity for families to find out more about Parenting. Give it time and to get positive parenting practical hints, tips and expert advice to encourage good behaviour from children.
“There’s lots of parenting support out there for families including targeted support through programmes such as Flying Start and Families First alongside universal services provided by, for example, midwives, health visitors, GPs and local authorities.”
Editor’s note
Positive Parenting: The Welsh Government continues to commit to promote the principles of positive parenting, which are consistent with the basic principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). To support this, the Welsh Government wants parents to have access to information, support and encouragement to enable them to choose the most positive approach to raising their children. We want children and parents to secure good bonding and attachment from the outset, and encourage parents to have positive and supportive relationships so that all children get the chance to thrive and lead happy and healthy childhoods.
Parenting. Give it time offers positive parenting practical hints, tips and expert advice to encourage good behaviour from children and alternatives to physical punishment. More information on positive parenting including resources to help parents, is available at: gov.wales/giveittime
Ending physical punishment in Wales: On 21 March 2022 physical punishment of children became illegal in Wales. Wales joined over 60 nations across the globe who have already outlawed physical punishment towards a child. Children in Wales now have the same protection from assault as adults. This means the law is clear - easy for children, parents, professionals and the public to understand.
Physical punishment is when you use physical force to punish a child. While smacking is what usually comes to mind, physical punishment can take many forms including hitting, slapping and shaking.
Welsh Government’s aim in making physical punishment illegal is to help protect children and their rights, but it acknowledges that by removing the defence, a small number of parents may be charged with, or prosecuted for, a criminal offence in circumstances where that would not have happened previously.
The Welsh Government are supporting parents, through providing information, help and advice and will continue to raise awareness of the law change; the intention is not to draw people into the criminal justice system but encourage more and more people to stop using physical punishment. Welsh Government are providing funding to local authorities (£400,000 preparatory funding already received, together with £2.4 million, between 2022-23 and 2024-25) to provide parenting support under the new out of court parenting support scheme. It will mean that in cases where the police, depending on individual circumstances, decide it is appropriate to offer an out-of-court disposal, there will be an option of referring into the out of court parenting scheme for support to help avoid re-offending. While local authorities will prioritise referrals from the police, the parenting workers employed through this funding will also be able to support wider universal parenting support offered by the local authority (for example if numbers of police referrals are low).
More information on ending physical punishment can be found here: gov.wales/endphysicalpunishment