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Summary: This statement is included in a series of recommendations by the children's commissioner to the Government on the human rights of children.
[17 December 2011] - Smacking should be made illegal, England’s Children’s Commissioner told the Government yesterday. Dr Maggie Atkinson told ministers they should make smacking illegal by repealing the 'reasonable punishment' defence open to parents. She also said that young people should only be arrested or sent to prison as a 'last resort', and that if they must be jailed it should only be for the 'shortest possible time'. Dr Atkinson, who last year said the 10-year-old killers of James Bulger had been too young to face trial, also said that under-18s who appear in court – such as those who took part in this summer's riots – should be guaranteed anonymity. She added that she was 'extremely concerned' about the effect that public identification would have on their futures. The comments by the Children’s Commissioner, who is responsible for defending the rights of under-18s in England, came in a series of recommendations to the Government on the human rights of children, made to coincide with the 20th anniversary of UN conventions being adopted. Dr Atkinson said that while most children in England enjoy their childhood and are safe from harm, 'We continue to fail many vulnerable and marginalised children when their treatment is judged against the benchmark of the principles outlined in human rights treaties.' Dr Atkinson published her office's submission to the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review yesterday, The Telegraph reported. The report said the Government’s record on promoting and protecting human rights was 'mixed'. It expressed 'disappointment' at the 'high incarceration rate' of children, which it said was still one of the highest in Europe, despite numbers having fallen in recent years. It said that acquiring a criminal record has a 'significant negative impact' on the rest of a child’s life and does not prevent them from reoffending. The report also urged the Government to make it illegal for children on trial for serious offences to be named or pictured 'at any stage' during criminal proceedings. Noting that details of young people involved in this summer's riots had been reported in the press, it added: 'We are extremely concerned at the effect that the identification of children in trouble with the law may have on their safety and life chances.' It also urged workers at juvenile secure units in England and Wales to only use restraint techniques that cause pain ‘exclusively to prevent harm to the child or others’. The report claimed that child poverty is likely to be higher in 2020 than it is now, despite Labour’s pledge to halve the number of under-18s living below the breadline by last year. 'We recommend that additional financial resources be allocated to this goal,' the report said. The Government said it would set up a more powerful Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England. Further Information:
pdf: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075465/Childrens-tsar-calls-sma...