The Government should bring in legislation to ban all physical punishment of children, bringing Ireland into line with 14 other EU states, the Irish Society for the Provention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) said today.
Publishing statistics for its new Childfocus service this morning, the ISPCC also said it is now time for the Government to introduce a state-funded parenting campaign.
ISPCC statement
"This campaign should aim to support parents/carers to develop alternatives to slapping as a parenting tool," an ISPCC statement said.
"The ISPCC believes that the time is right for the Government to introduce legislation to ban all physical punishment of children, a move that would bring Ireland in line with 14 other EU states."
The ISPCC said Irish society needed to show its full commitment to protecting and cherishing its children, a vision best encapsulated in the National Children's Strategy of 2000, which is not yet fully implemented.
"We urgently need to make this vision a reality," the statement said.
Some 215 children benefited last year from one-to-one counselling through the ISPCC's Childfocus service set up to help youngsters with behavioural and emotional problems.
The support service is aimed at vulnerable children aged 12 or under and uses web-based, phone and text counselling as well as providing face-to-face support.
ISPCC said 215 children received one-to-one counselling last year, with an average of 24 sessions per child. Issues dealt with by the counsellors included bereavement, parental separation and school-related difficulties.
Some 1,187 children took part in group programmes aimed at tackling problems such as self-esteem, bullying and transition to secondary school.
Childfocus also provided parenting courses for 280 parents or carers last year.
The service hosted parenting conferences in Cork, Galway, Drogheda, Dundalk, Mayo and Wexford throughout the year and also offered a parent 'mentoring' programme for parents.
ISPCC will publish two Childfocus information leaflets, one for parents and carers and the other for children. They will be distributed through schools and community centres from the start of the new school year in September.