In brief
The government wants to establish how effective s 58 of the Children Act 2004 has been in improving legal protection for children in cases of alleged assault by their parents. Views are being sought from parents and those working with children and families on the practical consequences of the changes in the law brought about by the provision, which came into force in January 2005. Section 58 limits the availability of the “reasonable punishment” defence in cases involving alleged assaults by parents on their children. The consultation will run for eight weeks, with a report expected in the autumn. It is available at the Department for Education and Skills website: www.dfes.gov.uk.
