Save the Children Report - Further Proof that Smacking Isn’t the Issue

Family First Media Release 9 May

The latest report from Save the Children "State of the World's Mothers 2007 - Saving the Lives of Children Under 5" is further evidence that the proposed ban on smacking is a 'feel-good' policy which has been adopted by 17 countries now without any identifiable or tangible benefit.

For the child death rate in the developed world, NZ currently ranks 21st. Of the top 20 safest countries, less than half have banned smacking. And the worst country for child deaths, Romania, banned smacking 3 years ago.

"Save the Children in New Zealand have trumpeted this report as further evidence that section 59 should be repealed," says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ, "yet this report is simply further proof that groups like Save the Children, Barnardos and EPOCH are barking up the wrong tree in relation to child abuse."

"The report quite correctly identifies the health and well-being of the mother, the availability of skilled health personnel during births, education and poverty as key contributors to children being at risk."

The report reiterates the issues that Family First is highlighting. It says "Factors such as single parenthood, low levels of maternal education, teenage motherhood, substandard housing, large family size and parental drug or alcohol abuse increase the risks that a child will not survive to age 5."

Mr McCoskrie says it is time that groups like Save the Children, CYF and UNICEF in NZ started reading their own reports and started advocating for dealing with the actual causes of child abuse, rather than attacking good families.