Welsh Government
Welsh Government
03/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/25/2026 02:19
Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020: estimating police recorded cases of physical punishment against children
The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) Wales Act 2020 ('the Act') came into force on 21 March 2022. The Act abolished the common law defence of 'reasonable punishment' previously available to parents and those acting in 'loco-parentis' as a defence to charges of assault or battery against a child.
The 3-year post implementation review (Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020: evidence and data synthesis) was published on 16 December 2025. The synthesis draws on a diverse range of data and research sources, including data from Police Forces in Wales, where available.
This report supplements the high-level estimates of cases of physical punishment against children published in the 3-year post-implementation review of the Act. It also provides a high-level description of the methodology used.
Welsh Government published this content on March 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 25, 2026 at 08:19 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]