Government considers ban on physical punishment of children

Czech parents might be banned from physically punishing their children, the daily Mladá fronta Dnes has written, after a bill by the government committee for children's rights was approved on Thursday. Under the bill, corporal punishment would be banned, but would not include sanctions for the time being. A recent public opinion poll showed that three-fifths of Czechs disagree with such restrictions. But specialists say legislation banning physical punishment in the home and in schools is needed to protect children from potential abuse. Under the planned bill, parents or teachers would break the law if they slapped a child on the hand or face.

A poll conducted by the Median agency, whose results were released by the daily Lidové noviny recently suggested that one quarter of Czech parents use physical punishment on occasion, while 31 percent of respondent said they never used physical punishment as a method.