Parents smacking their children have become illegal in Wales as the country becomes the second UK nation to ban physical punishment with the First Minister Mark Drakeford saying it was historic day for children.
The legal defence of reasonable punishment has been removed, so anyone who smacks a child in their care could be arrested and prosecuted for assault.
Critics claim the new law was pushed through by those who think they know better than parents.
Jersey was the first part of the British Isles to ban smacking in April 2020 before Scotland became the first UK nation to make it illegal in November 2020.
Sweden became the first country in the world to ban physical punishment of children in 1979 and it is now illegal in 63 nations around the world.
The Welsh government said it was a historic moment for children and their rights in Wales and meant children would have the same rights as adults.
In a survey of 3,000 adults in England, the NSPCC found 64% think it is also time to change the law there and ban smacking, while 68% said it is not acceptable.
Ministers in Cardiff said they wanted to give children the best start in life and the new law means people will be committing a crime if they smack, hit, slap or shake a child in their care.
The government said it is not possible to give a set list of what makes up physical punishment because it could be anything where a child is punished using physical force.
The new law will apply to parents or anyone who is responsible for a child while the parents are absent – and apply to all visitors to Wales.
Physical punishment is already illegal in schools, children’s homes, local authority foster care homes and childcare settings.
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