Study: Smacking Children Linked to Worse GCSEs and Bullying

Narrative A

Smacking a child is an act of violence that leads to real, measurable harm — worse GCSE results, more bullying and riskier behavior well into the teen years. UCL's research is clear: physical punishment has zero benefits and England and Northern Ireland are falling behind by keeping it legal. Seventy countries have already banned it, and Scotland and Wales show reform works.