News

Wales’ ban on physical punishment shows impact three years on

Published

6 months ago

December 16, 2025

Awareness high as review finds shift in attitudes and fewer prosecutions

A LANDMARK Welsh law banning the physical punishment of children is beginning to change attitudes and protect young people, according to a new Welsh Government review published on Tuesday (Dec 16).

The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 came into force in March 2022, making it illegal for parents and carers to physically punish children.

Three years on, an independent evidence review has found high public awareness of the law, strong professional confidence in applying it, and a growing rejection of physical punishment as an effective form of discipline.

One of the central findings relates to the Out-of-Court Parenting Support Scheme, which allows parents to access guidance and education rather than face prosecution. Since the law was introduced, around 365 families have been referred to the scheme, with 310 parents completing the sessions. The majority reported positive outcomes, while fewer than five cases have progressed to prosecution.

The Welsh Government says this demonstrates that the legislation is focused on education and prevention rather than punishment.

The review found that awareness of the law is widespread. Around 95% of parents surveyed said they know physical punishment is illegal, while 87% of the general public were aware of the legislation. A similar proportion of children and young people said they understood that parents are not permitted to physically punish them.

Attitudes towards discipline are also shifting. The review found that 86% of parents now view physical punishment as ineffective.

Professionals working with children and families reported increased confidence when discussing discipline and children’s rights with parents, saying the law has removed previous uncertainty about what is acceptable.

However, the review also identified areas where further work is needed, including additional research and ongoing support for the workforce implementing the law.

Responding to the findings, the Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden said the legislation was making “significant progress” in protecting children’s rights.

She said: “By supporting families rather than punishing them, we are helping parents develop positive relationships with their children.

“The fact that almost all parents now know physical punishment is illegal, and the majority see it as ineffective, represents a significant cultural shift.

“Our approach prioritises education and support, with hundreds of families benefiting from parenting programmes. We want a Wales where every child is safe, valued and respected.”

However, the law has not been without criticism.

Opponents have previously warned that banning physical punishment risks drawing the state further into family life and criminalising parents for low-level incidents that would once have been dealt with informally. Others have raised concerns about police workload and the challenge of consistent enforcement, while some parents continue to argue that discipline should remain a private family matter.

The campaign group Be Reasonable, which opposed the law, said the Welsh Government’s own figures show increased workloads for police and social services, with some local authorities reporting temporary backlogs linked to a rise in child protection enquiries. The Government’s review acknowledges that low-level incidents are now more time-intensive to process and that some cases have been reclassified as criminal offences.

Campaigners also claim that parents are being drawn into the criminal justice system despite earlier assurances that the law would not criminalise families, and have criticised the lack of a detailed assessment of the law’s financial impact on public services. Ministers dispute this characterisation, maintaining that prosecutions remain rare and that the emphasis remains on education and early support rather than punishment.

Welsh ministers maintain that the focus remains firmly on education and support rather than prosecution, but debate around the law’s long-term impact on families and public services continues.

Chris Sherwood, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “We strongly welcome today’s publication of the Welsh Government’s review, three years on from their change in legislation to end the legal defence for the physical punishment of children.

“Wales’s trailblazing work has changed public opinion and improved social services’ ability to safeguard children. The report further echoes the unequivocal evidence that physical punishment is harmful, ineffective and damages the trust and wellbeing at the heart of family relationships. It leads to the question, why are England and Northern Ireland lagging behind?

“Today the Prime Minister and the Northern Ireland Executive must face the reality that they can no longer drag their heels on previous calls for England and Northern Ireland to follow Wales’s example. They must act now to give all children the same protection from assault as adults.”

Community

Swiss granddaughter returns to Pembroke Dock to honour wartime heroine

Published

9 minutes ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SWISS woman has returned to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre to see a special display celebrating her grandmother’s remarkable wartime work helping Allied servicemen who escaped into neutral Switzerland.

Therese Burckhardt, from Zurich, is the granddaughter of Mrs Beryl Schaerer Morse, a former Pembroke Dock woman who was awarded the King’s Medal in 1952 for her service during the Second World War.

The rare medal, one of only around 2,500 awarded, is now on display at the Heritage Centre alongside photographs, family records and an information panel telling Mrs Schaerer Morse’s story.

Beryl Schaerer Morse was born in Pembroke Dock in 1887, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas Harrison Morse, who lived in Pembroke Dock and later Tenby.

After marrying a Swiss banker in 1913, she settled in Switzerland for the rest of her life, but always regarded Pembrokeshire as home. She returned for many summers to the family’s house in Tenby, which her grandparents had built in the 1930s.

During the Second World War, Mrs Schaerer Morse led an organisation assisting Allied servicemen who had escaped into neutral Switzerland. Her work was later recognised with the award of the King’s Medal.

Therese first visited the Heritage Centre last summer with childhood friend Penny Tighe, of Pembroke, bringing the medal and family records with her. She has now returned with further documents and family photographs to add to the centre’s archive.

Joining her again was Penny Tighe, along with Ruth Waddington, who now lives in the Tenby house where Therese spent many happy childhood holidays with her brother Roland, known affectionately to his grandmother as “Chips”.

Mrs Schaerer Morse died in 1967 and had expressly wished to be buried near her father at Llanion Cemetery, Pembroke Dock.

Therese said: “I am very pleased with how my grandmother’s medal and her story are displayed at the Heritage Centre, and also pleased to bring more records to add to the archive there.”

Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is based at the Royal Dockyard Chapel and tells the story of the town’s maritime, aviation, military, social and community heritage.

Pembroke Dock was Wales’ only Royal Dockyard, a major garrison town, and during the Second World War was home to the largest flying boat station in the world.

The centre is currently open Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Therese Burckhardt shows the King’s Medal, awarded to her grandmother, to Ruth Waddington at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre (Pic: PDHC).

Community

Pirates take over Pembroke Dock maritime museum

Published

47 minutes ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

VOLUNTEERS at West Wales Maritime Museum were praised after another successful Pirates Party brought crowds to Pembroke Dock.

The family event was held at Hancock’s Yard, Front Street, on Saturday (Jun 20), with visitors enjoying a day of maritime-themed entertainment, stalls, refreshments and fancy dress.

The museum, run by the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, hosted the event with the help of volunteers, with activities including a tombola, raffle, barbecue, face painting, children’s games and a prize for the best-dressed pirate.

There was also live entertainment from the Cantabile Singers and the Barti Waves.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was a musket firing display by the H.M.S Wales Re-enactment Group, which drew strong interest from those attending.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, was among those who visited the event.

He said it had been “a fantastic afternoon” and praised the volunteers who had worked hard to put on “another brilliant event”.

Cllr Grimes said: “There was plenty to see and enjoy, but my personal highlight had to be the musket firing display from the H.M.S Wales Re-enactment Group — a real crowd-pleaser with live firing.

“It was wonderful to see so many people coming along and supporting yet another successful event at the museum.”

He also thanked Peter Kraus and everyone involved for their dedication in bringing the event to life.

The West Wales Maritime Museum is based at the historic Hancock’s Yard and is run by volunteers who work to preserve Pembroke Dock’s maritime heritage.

The society restores and maintains classic boats, operates a museum of maritime artefacts and offers visitors a chance to learn more about the town’s long connection with the sea.

The museum has become an increasingly popular community venue, with events such as the Pirates Party helping to bring families into the town while celebrating Pembroke Dock’s seafaring past.

News

Father and son lifeboat volunteers answer emergency call off Broadhaven South

Published

2 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FATHER’S DAY celebrations were interrupted for several Tenby RNLI crew members on Sunday afternoon (Jun 21) after a five-metre RIB suffered engine failure off Broadhaven South and began drifting dangerously towards rocks.

The casualty vessel issued a Pan Pan call, prompting a Coastguard tasking to Tenby Lifeboats.

Among those responding were Coxswain Gary and his son Eddie, who still managed to spend part of Father’s Day together — although not quite in the way they may have planned.

The lifeboat was quickly launched and made best speed to the reported position, around nine miles west of Tenby Lifeboat Station.

When the crew arrived on scene, the engine of the casualty vessel had been restarted. However, with those on board concerned it could fail again, the Coxswain decided to escort the RIB back towards the entrance of the Milford Haven Waterway.

Once at the mouth of the waterway, the occupants were confident they could safely continue to their mooring without further assistance.

The lifeboat was then stood down and returned to station, arriving back at 5:50pm.