Campaigners and the UK’s four Children’s Commissioners have issued a powerful plea for a nationwide ban on smacking, calling for the tragic death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif to mark the end of legal corporal punishment in any part of the country.
While smacking is now outlawed in both Scotland and Wales, it remains legally permissible in England and Northern Ireland under the defence of “reasonable punishment” — a clause critics say is dangerously vague and open to abuse. Under the Children Act 2004, parents in these jurisdictions can still hit their children, provided it is deemed “reasonable” — an assessment made on a case-by-case basis.
The case of Sara Sharif, who was murdered in 2023 by her father and stepmother in Woking, has reignited debate. Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, told police following his flight to Pakistan that he had “legally punished” his daughter and “beat her up too much.” In December 2024, both he and stepmother Beinash Batool were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Speaking on Wednesday, Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, said: “I am haunted by the words of Sara Sharif’s abusive father that he ‘legally punished her’ until she died. Let this be Sara’s legacy — that all children in the United Kingdom are given the same protection from violence as any adult.”
The call to action comes as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill returns to the House of Lords for its second reading. It presents a key opportunity, say campaigners, to finally end the patchwork approach to corporal punishment across the UK.
In a rare joint statement, Dame Rachel, alongside her counterparts Rocio Cifuentes (Wales), Nicola Killean (Scotland), and Chris Quinn (Northern Ireland), condemned the current legal disparity. They stated: “Any defence in law that permits assault for the purpose of physical punishment of children is outdated and morally repugnant.”
They stressed that loving and well-meaning parents had “nothing to fear” from a change in the law. “The experience of Scotland and Wales, where children are already offered full protection from assault, does not suggest an increase in parents being criminalised. This is about protecting children, not prosecuting caring families,” the commissioners said.
Wales became the second UK nation to outlaw all forms of corporal punishment, including smacking, slapping and shaking, in March 2022. Scotland led the way with a similar law in November 2020.
Despite this, the UK Government has signalled reluctance to follow suit in England. Earlier this year, Education Minister Stephen Morgan acknowledged the reforms in Scotland and Wales were being closely studied but added, “We have no plans to legislate at this stage.” He stressed the need to examine the evidence carefully before taking what he called a “significant legislative step.”
The medical profession has also weighed in. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said in March that smacking should be “consigned to the history books.” Professor Andrew Rowland, officer for child protection at the college, said: “It is essential that the law is changed to explicitly prohibit all physical punishment of children. Society must send a clear message — physical punishment, whatever the circumstances, is unacceptable.”
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The NSPCC echoed this, warning that as long as the law tolerates “reasonable” force, children’s wellbeing would remain subject to interpretation. “We must not leave their safety to chance,” a spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the School-Home Support charity has added its voice to the campaign, calling for every school to be assigned a dedicated family support worker — a step it described as the “missing piece” in addressing school attendance and child welfare holistically.
This comes as government figures show school absenteeism continues to rise. In the 2023/24 academic year, 2.3% of pupils in England were “severely absent” — missing more than half of school sessions — the highest rate since records began in 2006.
As calls for reform mount, many are urging Parliament to seize this moment — and ensure that Sara Sharif’s death results in lasting, meaningful change.
