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Is Smacking Children Ever OK?
When a child’s behaviour feels unsafe, defiant or overwhelming, a smack can seem like a quick way to make it stop. It might interrupt the behaviour in that moment, but stopping is not the same as learning.
Current evidence does not show that smacking improves children’s behaviour over time. Instead, physical punishment is consistently associated with greater behaviour and emotional difficulties, poorer parent-child relationships and a risk that punishment will escalate. This does not mean every child who has been smacked will experience harm, or that a parent who has smacked is a bad parent. It means safer and more effective approaches are available.
This article explains what the research can and cannot tell us, how Australian law differs from clinical guidance and what parents can do instead.
What counts as physical punishment?
Physical or corporal punishment means using physical force to cause pain or discomfort in an attempt to correct behaviour. Smacking, spanking, slapping, pinching and hitting with an object are examples.
Smacking is still common in Australia, although attitudes are changing. A nationally representative survey of 8,500 Australians found that 62.5% had experienced corporal punishment during childhood. Among parents surveyed, 53.7% reported having used it. Just over one-quarter of respondents, 26.4%, believed corporal punishment was necessary to raise children, while 73.6% did not.
Is smacking legal in Australia?
Legal permission and evidence-based parenting advice are not the same thing. At the time of this review, parents in every Australian state and territory can rely on a defence permitting some form of “reasonable” physical punishment. The limits and legal wording differ between jurisdictions. In New South Wales, for example, section 61AA of the Crimes Act 1900 restricts the defence of lawful correction.
That does not make all physical punishment lawful. Assault, physical abuse and force outside the relevant legal limits remain unlawful. The Australian Institute of Family Studies provides a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction overview, but it is a general guide rather than legal advice.
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What does research say about smacking children?
The strongest recent review examined 69 prospective longitudinal studies, which follow children over time. Physical punishment consistently predicted increases in behaviour problems and was not associated with positive outcomes. The review also found evidence of a dose-response pattern, meaning more frequent physical punishment was linked with worse outcomes.
There is an important limit to understand. Researchers cannot ethically assign children at random to be smacked, so much of the evidence is observational. Family stress, a child’s existing behaviour and other experiences can influence both parenting and later outcomes. Stronger studies use methods such as repeated measurement and statistical controls to reduce these alternative explanations, but they cannot remove every source of uncertainty.
Even with that limitation, the overall pattern is consistent: smacking has no demonstrated long-term benefit and is associated with greater externalising problems, such as aggression and defiance, and internalising problems, such as anxiety and low mood. Physical punishment can also escalate when a first response does not work.
Why can smacking stop behaviour without teaching it?
A child may stop immediately because they are startled, afraid or trying to avoid another smack. That response does not teach the skill the child needs next time, such as waiting, asking for help, managing frustration or repairing harm.
Children also learn from what adults model. When an adult responds to conflict with physical force, the intended message about behaviour can become confused. Some children describe feeling frightened, angry, ashamed or unsure why they were punished. These reactions are not identical for every child, but they can make calm learning and connection harder.
Discipline is most useful when it means teaching. Clear limits still matter. A non-physical response is not permissive parenting: it combines safety, predictable boundaries, skill-building and follow-through.
If I have smacked my child, is the damage done?
No. Research describes patterns of risk across groups, not a fixed outcome for an individual child or family. A parent can stop using physical punishment, acknowledge what happened and choose a different plan.
A simple repair might be: “It was not OK for me to smack you. I was overwhelmed, but hurting you was not the right response. I’m sorry. Next time I will step away and calm down.” An apology does not remove the boundary around the child’s behaviour. It models responsibility and shows that relationships can be repaired.
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What are effective alternatives to smacking?
Evidence-based parenting support commonly focuses on strengthening the parent-child relationship, increasing positive attention, setting clear expectations, teaching skills and responding consistently to behaviour. The right strategy depends on the child’s age, development, the function of the behaviour and the situation.
1. Make the situation safe
Block hitting, move an unsafe object or guide the child away from danger. Use the least force needed for immediate safety, not as punishment. Keep language short: “I won’t let you hit. I’m moving us back.”
2. Say what to do instead
Calm, specific instructions are easier to follow than a lecture. Try “Put the blocks on the floor” or “Tell me you need a turn” rather than only “Stop it”. Match the instruction to the child’s developmental capacity.
3. Acknowledge feelings and keep the limit
Recognising emotion does not mean agreeing with unsafe behaviour. For example: “You’re angry that playtime is finished. It’s OK to be angry. It’s not OK to kick.” Then help the child use a safer response.
4. Use a related, proportionate consequence
A consequence should connect logically to what happened and help the child learn or repair. A toy used unsafely might be put away for a short period. A mess might be cleaned up together. The approach should be developmentally appropriate, explained calmly and followed by a fresh start.
5. Notice the behaviour you want to see
Positive attention helps children understand what to repeat. Describe the behaviour specifically: “You stopped and used words even though you were frustrated.” Regular one-to-one time also creates opportunities to practise cooperation before difficult moments arise.
6. Plan for predictable triggers
Hunger, fatigue, sensory overload, transitions and demands beyond a child’s current skills can increase challenging behaviour. Planning does not excuse harmful behaviour. It reduces preventable conflict and makes expectations easier to meet.
Educational and Developmental Psychologist Dr Kimberley O’Brien recommends deciding on a calm response before a recurring difficult moment: identify the limit, choose words both adults will use and agree on a safe, non-physical follow-through. A plan is easier to use than improvising while everyone is distressed.
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How can parents manage anger in the moment?
When you notice clenched muscles, shouting, racing thoughts or an urge to hit, prioritise safety and pause. If the child is safe, step away briefly, slow your breathing, drink water or ask another trusted adult to take over. Return when you can speak and act with control.
For repeated flashpoints, look beyond willpower. Consider sleep, workload, conflict, mental health, substance use and whether the family needs practical support. A psychologist, GP, counsellor or evidence-based parenting program can help parents understand triggers and practise alternatives.
When should I seek help?
Consider professional support when challenging behaviour is frequent, intense or affecting family life, or when you are worried about your response. A consultation with a child psychologist can help clarify the behaviour, the child’s developmental needs and practical strategies for the family.
If you are concerned that you or someone else may hurt a child, seek support immediately. Make the child safe, ask a trusted adult to assist and call Triple Zero (000) if anyone is in immediate danger.
What to remember
- Smacking may stop behaviour briefly, but it does not teach the child what to do instead.
- Longitudinal research finds no positive long-term outcomes and consistent associations with poorer behaviour and emotional outcomes.
- The evidence is largely observational, so claims should be framed as risk and association rather than certainty for an individual child.
- Australian law still provides a limited defence for “reasonable” physical punishment, but legal permission is not a clinical recommendation.
- Clear limits, positive attention, skill-building and calm, related consequences are safer alternatives.
- If smacking has happened, repair and change are possible.
If you would like help building a non-physical behaviour plan for your family, book an initial consultation or contact Quirky Kid.
View article references
Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2021). Physical punishment legislation.
Haslam, D. M., Malacova, E., Higgins, D. J., Meinck, F., Mathews, B., Thomas, H. J., Finkelhor, D., Havighurst, S. S., Pacella, R., Erskine, H. E., Scott, J. G., & Lawrence, D. M. (2024). The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: Findings from a nationally representative survey. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 59(3), 576–594.
Havighurst, S. S., Mathews, B., Doyle, F. L., Haslam, D. M., Andriessen, K., Cubillo, C., Dawe, S., Hawes, D. J., Leung, C., Mazzucchelli, T. G., Morawska, A., Whittle, S., Chainey, C., & Higgins, D. J. (2023). Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(10), 1343–1353.
Heilmann, A., Mehay, A., Watt, R. G., Kelly, Y., Durrant, J. E., van Turnhout, J., & Gershoff, E. T. (2021). Physical punishment and child outcomes: A narrative review of prospective studies. The Lancet, 398(10297), 355–364.
Raising Children Network. (2026). Smacking and other corporal punishment: What you need to know.
World Health Organization. (2023). WHO guidelines on parenting interventions to prevent maltreatment and enhance parent-child relationships with children aged 0–17 years.
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