Most people would support closing a legal loophole that allows parents to smack their children, according to a survey.
The poll, which was carried out by MORI for the Children are Unbeatable! alliance, claims that a total of 71% of people would favour such a ban.
The organisation wants to end the current defence of "reasonable chastisement" and for youngsters to be given the same protection as adults in the home.
Should parents be allowed to smack their children? Or should hitting children become as socially unacceptable as hitting an adult? Send us your comments.
This debate is now closed. Read your comments below.
The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far.
 |  Ill-disciplined young people will grow up to be bad parents  |
Our government claims to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime, yet they prove themselves to be the exact opposite. Surely one of the greatest causes of crime is lack of discipline for young people. Furthermore, ill-disciplined young people will grow up to be bad parents so banning this form of discipline is detrimental to society.
Graham, Macclesfield, UK If the trend for less and less corporal punishment over the last 20 years or so had produced well balanced, well behaved and attentive children then there would be a case for it. However the overwhelming evidence every Friday night in my town is that the fall off in punishment has actually caused a fall off in parental discipline altogether and there are now gangs of riotous, drug fuelled and violent teenagers hanging around picking on whoever looks vulnerable that never existed 15 years ago when I was that age.
David Howe, Chelmsford
While I didn't like it at the time, I understand now that when I was smacked it was when reasoning with me had failed. Much better a smack to snap a child out of unreasonable behaviour than lengthy punishment where the child has often forgotten what they did wrong.
Nicola, Cambridge, UK
The smacking of a child, for the purposes of discipline, is not comparable to adult on adult assault. We live in a society that is constantly complaining of the lowering of standards of discipline and respect in our young people. Yet we propose to remove a parental tool, which when used sparingly, is an effective deterrent.
Gary, London, England
Smacking within reason helps with discipline but then we face the problem of defining what is 'reasonable'.
Deb, Belfast
| SUGGEST A DEBATE This topic was suggested by John, France: Do the majority of parents support a smacking ban? |
How could any parent want to inflict pain on their child? The sense of hurt that children must feel emotionally as well as physically must be immeasurable. The person who is supposed to love them unconditionally is inflicting abuse on them, it is as simple as that.
Ner Hamilton, Edinburgh, Scotland The first thing they should ban are "do-gooders" from society. Never have such a small minority of people been given such a big stage to alter our lives.
Peter Hoyle, Burnley, England
Why is a child the only being in the UK that one is allowed to hit? I might be prosecuted if I thump a colleague, my husband, a policeman or a dog, yet apparently I can hit my own child, who may not even realise that she has done something wrong. Smacking happens when discipline breaks down - it is not discipline to inflict pain on someone weaker than yourself. There is nothing more disturbing than hearing people go on about a 'loving smack'.
Victoria Hiley, UK
I have friends who disapprove of smacking, and their children tend to be the most rude, selfish, ill-disciplined brats I have ever had the misfortune to know. Get things in perspective, an occasional smack is of no harm to anyone, and can be an effective method of controlling children.
John C, Bath, England
Have a critical look at society. We now have a lawless yob culture symptomatic of a civilisation descending into anarchy. Banning corporal punishment in schools is a contributory factor. No child should be beaten, but some degree of exercising discipline is vital if we are to have the slightest chance of redressing conduct.
David Parsons, Dartford, UK
No amount of legislation can prevent bad parenting. Some children will continue to be well adjusted and others not, according to the way they are brought up as a whole. Smacking is just one form of discipline open to parents and I believe that there are times when there is no other option. Don't make criminals out of parents who are doing their best in an already difficult situation. Resources would be better spent protecting those children that really are at risk!
Karen, Southampton, England At the same time as they introduce laws like this, they also introduce laws that mean parents can be prosecuted if their children decide not to go to school. By what means do they propose parents get these children to do what they are told? If a parent is not allowed to decide how to bring up a child, how can they be prosecuted when the child disobeys?
R. Stevens
I was only ever smacked once as a child. It certainly served as a deterrent. I now have a 2 year old daughter. I am reluctant to smack her, but I have adopted a different approach. When she is naughty (to the extent she is putting herself or others in danger) I say "I'll count to 3" in a firm voice. She invariably stops the misbehaviour before I get to 3, as she knows that me saying 3 means that she will get a smack on the wrist. She is a happy, well adjusted child and the 2 times that I have had to administer a mild slap on the hand certainly do not seem to have done her any harm at all.
M, UK
Whilst I understand the need to protect children from abuse, if smacking is banned, which method of discipline will be next? Is sending a child to bed for being naughty unlawful imprisonment or denying them chocolate a cause of emotional suffering?
Helen, Colchester
| The smacking of children should be at parents' discretion |
I think the smacking of children should be at parents' discretion. That's not to say it's always right, and I'm certainly against abuse of children, but surely outlawing smacking goes too far. Very young children, if you love them, will respond to smacks for bad behaviour; you can keep them safe that way. Smacking older children doesn't work and can be degrading; that's obvious. So don't outlaw smacking; just make legislation that helps us love our kids.
Bart, Portsmouth, UK Corporal punishment was banned since it was thought to promote a culture of violence. Since we now live in a more violent society than ever it is patently false. A ban on smacking would only lead us to even more out of control children. No matter how people would like to paint it there is a very real difference between child abuse and smacking.
Craig Tanswell, Bournemouth, UK
Looking at the society that we have forged for ourselves, I am absolutely amazed that smacking is allowed under any circumstances at all.
Steve, UK
The smacking of children by their parents should definitely be banned. Quite how it is enforced however is another matter.
Ian, UK
Children should be protected from assault just as adults are (and just as children in many other European countries are protected). There are far better ways to discipline children, and information about these should be more widely publicised by the Government, to support parents. All the excuses about why we should be allowed to carry on hitting children (when it's illegal to hit anybody else) are feeble: children deserve better.
Adam, Brighton, England
Smacking is different from beating. There are an awful lot of kids out there who could do with a good smack and some firm discipline. If these interfering busybodies get their way, parents won't even be able to use the threat of a smack to control their children, because the children will know they can't carry it through. This is taking state interference in family life WAY too far.
Laura, UK
It is an interesting question why people believe that children can only learn through violence. I was never smacked as a child yet I somehow managed to grow up to be a useful member of society with respect for both myself and other people. So I find it hard to believe the argument that violence is necessary to bring up a child.
Colin Wright, UK
So they banned the cane at school and are now thinking of banning smacking at home. Any wonder why youth crime has increased?
Justin, Bristol, UK
Smacking should not be banned, what action to take when a child misbehaves should be left to the parent's discretion. There are enough children running riot without discouraging parents who actually have some idea how to bring up children.
Steve, London
I think it should be evident that no-one agrees with extended beatings or threats of violence against anyone, especially children. However, if I was naughty as a child then I got smacked. I fully understood at the time that I'd been naughty. The result is that I'm a healthy well adjusted adult, who knows right from wrong, have never been in trouble with the police, and have a happy relationship with my family. Parents should have the right to smack (not 'hit', which for me implies something more harsh than a slap on the bottom) their children.
Neil, UK
I was smacked as a child if I was bad, and it certainly did not do me any harm. It kept me out of trouble and stopped me doing things that I knew would get me smacked.
Hayley Gallagher, Andover, Hants
The law should not be required to make gratuitous physical reprimanding of children socially unacceptable and no law will stop me from smacking my children in the extreme cases where I believe it warranted.
Matthew, Maidstone, Kent
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