Social policy journal of New Zealand : te puna whakaaro, December 2004, 23: 195-199

This article presents a review of the "Stop It, It Hurts Me" national seminar held in Wellington, new Zealand over 18-19 June 2004 (organised by the Children's Issues Centre of Otago University in association with the Office of the Commissioner for Children). Key messages from the conference include the lack of evidence to support physical punishment as an effective or useful parenting tool. The injurious nature of physical punishment was reiterated, and reframed as assault. The repeal of section 59 of the Crimes Act was seen as a necessary to support changes in societal perception. A where-to-from-here framework based on the example of Sweden as an anti-physical-punishment state is discussed. Sweden's social policy places the child's physical and social wellbeing at its centre, supported by legislative changes and concerted preventive efforts. The outcome of these measures is seen in extremely low child abuse fatality statistics. The author discusses the policy implications of universal service provision, such as Sweden's, for New Zealand parenting programmes, which currently rely on an at-risk framework. The author considers New Zealand's approach cannot be justified by financial considerations, which are not supported by rigorous research and analysis. The author notes that removing physical punishment without supportive universal services could potentially result in medical abuse, citing experience in North America, where Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is over-diagnosed and over-prescribed for, removing responsibility from the guardian to provide the level of reinforcement and role modelling that parenting dictates. Discussing directions for future research, the author suggests gaining support for changes to society's use of physical punishment through reviews of countries that have repealed physical punishment legislation. Future research could offer a nationwide longitudinal tracking system of child abuse fatalities and a longitudinal survey of New Zealanders' attitudes towards physical punishment and punishment practices.