Welsh Government admits smacking ban has increased pressure on police and social services

The Welsh Government today published its report into the law banning smacking.[1] The 3-year implementation review of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 had been expected earlier this year.

The report reveals:

• Increased pressures on social services staff and the police, resulting in child protection ‘backlogs’ in some places;
• Parents are being criminalised, despite repeated Govt promises;
• No further assessment of financial impact of the new law, despite recent estimates by the Be Reasonable campaign that the cost to social services is potentially over £1.6 million annually.

During its passage, Welsh Government ministers claimed the new law “would not criminalise parents”. But it has now openly admitted that a small number have been taken to court, and a far larger number put through state re-education schemes. Data in the report agrees with the Be Reasonable implementation report – published just last week – that over 350 parents have entered the criminal justice system in this way.[2]

The new Govt report also reveals a very large rise in police recording of cases of ‘common assault’ (the offence relating to smacking) since the law changed (p.29), suggesting a far greater number of parents have faced police investigations for smacking.

The Govt report describes how some in the public sector have come under significant pressure: “For some professionals, particularly in policing and local authorities, the Act was reported to have led to increased workloads due to more time-intensive processes and reclassification of low-level incidents as crimes.” (p.30) Local authorities are facing “an increased number of Section 47 enquiries … even for lower-level cases where it is sometimes ‘unnecessary’, contributing to temporary backlogs” (p.31).

Last week, Be Reasonable published its own report on the effects of the new law. It estimated the change is costing social services potentially over £1.6 million annually.[3] The new Report from the Welsh Govt does not assess these or other costs.

Simon Calvert, spokesperson for Be Reasonable, said:

“This law is costing the taxpayer millions, diverting police from serious crime and placing unnecessary strain on social services. Instead of focusing on neglect and abuse, professionals are being drawn into intrusive investigations of ordinary, loving families.

“We have long warned this would happen, and the Government’s own data is clearly showing it. It is impossible to reconcile the Welsh Government’s claim that implementation is ‘progressing well’ with the data it has produced.”

[1] Govt Report can be found here – https://laiddocuments.senedd.wales/gen-ld17646-en.pdf

[2] Find the Be Reasonable Report here – https://www.bereasonable.wales/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-effects-of-the-smacking-ban-in-Wales_Myths-and-truths.pdf

[3] Find the Be Reasonable Report here – https://www.bereasonable.wales/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-effects-of-the-smacking-ban-in-Wales_Myths-and-truths.pdf