It is the parenting debate that has rumbled on for decades – is smacking your children wrong? Is a short, sharp shock – perhaps a smack to the back of the legs or bottom – acceptable when all attempts ...

Children who have had bad experiences of being smacked are more likely to have poor mental health and behavioural problems as they get older, research shows. (Getty Images) Leading children's doctors ...

Michelle Obama has revealed that she previously smacked her two daughters. (WireImage) Former First Lady Michelle Obama has revealed she stopped spanking her daughters because she felt "embarrassed." ...

Parents could be banned from doling out physical punishment after researchers linked smacking to a surge in mental health issues in early adulthood. A study by the Australian Catholic University found ...

A paper co-authored by 12 researchers for the Parenting and Family Research Alliance (PAFRA) said the corporal punishment of children was detrimental in all circumstances, while countries that had ...

It’s time for a ban on smacking children in England and Northern Ireland, according to doctors. GoodToKnow deputy editor and mum-of-three Heidi questions; isn't it time we stopped having this debate?

Calls are growing to ban smacking across the UK amid claims it has no benefits and can make children’s behaviour worse. Experts say evidence the practice is harmful is overwhelming. But any move to ...

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or ...

The question of whether it is ever acceptable to smack a child – hitting them with the flat inside of the hand with the aim of achieving compliance – is still highly controversial. In England, this ...