Petition · past parliament
Make child beating illegal in England
Rejected
12 signatures
What the petition asks
Make it illegal for parents to hit, smack, slap or shake their child.
Child beating is an unlawful and unfair method of punishment for children. It teaches them that undesirable behaviour can be resolved with violence. It can cause decades of trauma, requiring years of therapy to unpack and tackle.
Child hitting is an illegal practice in Wales and Scotland. England should follow suit to protect its youth.
Children deserve the right to be protected from the physical and mental harm that arises from hitting.
Child hitting is an illegal practice in Wales and Scotland. England should follow suit to protect its youth.
Children deserve the right to be protected from the physical and mental harm that arises from hitting.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
You may wish to sign this petition which calls for a similar action: Make it illegal for parents to smack children
Timeline
| 21 Mar 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 28 Mar 2022 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
12
Status
Rejected
Rejected
28 Mar 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.