0293—AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY—PUNISHMENT AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

Mr Corbett to the Minister for Community Services, Minister for Aged Services, and Minister for Disability Services—

(1) Does the research available to the Minister endorse the opinion of the Australian Psychological Society's Working Group on Punishment and Behaviour Change that the available psychological research indicates that the physical punishment of children:

(a) is very limited in its capacity to deter the unwanted behaviour;

(b) does not teach alternative desirable behaviour;

(c) often promotes further undesirable behaviours such as defiance and attachment to “delinquent” peer groups;

(d) encourages an acceptance of aggression and violence as acceptable responses to conflicts and problems?

(2) If so, what action is the Government taking to:

(a) inform parents, especially new parents, of these findings;

(b) ensure that educational material about positive alternatives to the use of physical punishment is provided, promoted and displayed to parents in New South Wales?

Answer—

(1) Yes.

(2) I support the findings of the Australian Psychological Society's Working Group on Punishment and Behaviour Change. The NSW Government has been concerned about physical punishment and acted promptly on 5 December 1995 to abolish physical punishment immediately in all State schools. In addition, the Education Reform Amendment (School Discipline) Act 1995 will abolish corporal punishment in all New South Wales schools by 1997.

The Department of Community Services has applied this kind of valuable research to the care of children in out of home care. The Substitute Care Services Standards Working Document notes that children and young people in care ought not to be subjected to the use of unreasonable discipline, including corporal punishment.

The Department also funds Family Support Services who as part of their valuable service to families provide support, guidance and training in developing appropriate parenting skills. Family Support involves personal guidance, counselling, education and group activities.

The National Child Protection Council released a discussion paper in 1995 on “Legal and Social Aspects of the Physical Punishment of Children”. This paper challenges the use of physical punishment and has been widely distributed.

The NSW Child Protection Council, through the Prevention Resources Grants Program, has funded a number of projects which will take up the issue of physical punishment of children. Some of them do this directly, whilst others focus on the development of positive parenting techniques and coping strategies for parents. The concept is that it is more useful for parents and care givers to learn positive alternatives to physical punishment, alternative ways of coping with the many stresses they are subject to, rather than merely focusing on the physical punishment itself.

In 1995, some of these projects included:

•Disability in Focus - a care giver education program about positive care giving for children with a disability
This project developed and piloted an education program for parents and care givers of children with a disability. The program focused on good parenting practice and worked especially on changing attitudes and behaviours which are harmful to children with a disability.

• Male Parenting Under Challenging Circumstances
Mercy Family developed and piloted a program to provide knowledge, skills and awareness for men fathering under stressful circumstances. The program focused on building positive relationships and covered child development and child behaviour. The self-assessment of the group was very positive with more applicants available than places and many requests for further groups to be run.

In 1995/96, 14 programs were funded. These included:

• Management of Young Children
This program focused on parents of children with difficult behaviours. It assists with support and skill training for parents who feel that the relationship with their children is at risk. It focuses on assisting parents to have more confidence in developing positive techniques in parenting which are not abusive, including physical punishment.

•Bangalow Child Friendly Village
This project is specifically looking at developing community ownership of the philosophy of non-violence toward children. It uses the Swedish approach which is based on education and support to bring about attitudinal change toward physical child abuse. It works on networks that are already in operation to develop an educational package around physical punishment specifically designed for the Bangalow community and developing preventative interventions in the schools and the preschools.

Additionally, NAPCAN (National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect), which received funding from the NSW Child Protection Council, has community education materials promoting alternatives to physical punishment and these publications are widely available throughout New South Wales.

Question asked on 30 October 96 (session 51-2) and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 42.
Answer to be printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 54.

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