NSPCC lobby Assembly on ‘Full Stop’ campaign

The leading children’s charity, the NSPCC has brought their Full Stop campaign to Stormont.

The UK-wide campaign, aimed at banning the smacking of children, was brought to the Assembly at Stormont on Wednesday to lobby local politicians to back legislation on smacking.

The campaign was launched on Wednesday, May 8, as part of the NSPCC’s Northern Ireland Children’s Day.

The charity said that the Northern Ireland Executive needed to catch up with Europe in addressing the issue and deliver on legislation to make hitting children a thing of the past.

A public education campaign with powerful billboard posters in the style of children's books and radio advertisements was launched with the message that ‘Hitting children must stop. Full Stop. It's simple enough for a child to understand’.

The NSPCC was joined at Stormont by a number of prominent assembly members, including Patricia Lewsley, SDLP, Eileen Bell, Alliance, Sue Ramsey, Sinn Féin and Monica McWilliams Women's Coalition.

NSPCC's Northern Ireland Director Ian Elliott said: "Our research shows that a majority of parents do not believe that punishing children by hitting them is the right thing to do. Unfortunately many parents are still hitting, mainly lashing out in anger or frustration, which is the worst time to do it.

"Parents feel terrible after hitting their children. They clearly need and want alternatives and we must do everything possible to help parents take the pain out of parenting.

“The Executive of the Assembly has a responsibility to take a lead and take a leaf out of Europe's book, where big strides are being made to make hitting children a thing of the past. Hitting children is not a solution and the Executive must promote this message.

“We must promote practical alternatives to help people stop smacking. This must be underpinned by changing the law to protect children from being hit, not to land ordinary parents in the courts, but to drive forward changes in attitudes."

The SDLP spokesperson on children Patricia Lewsley said: “Parents who smack their children are normally taking out their own frustration on the child rather than properly disciplining a child. We need to set an example for our children. Smacking is not the way to do that.

“It is also important that proper mechanisms are put in place for parents. When parents are facing difficulties, or when they are coming to the end of their tether it is important that they know they can get practical guidance and support in the form of a help line or some other form of counselling.”

(AMcE)