Lancet CAH: The strange endurance of corporal punishment of children (3)

26 January, 2023

The chances are that if you are over say 40 years of age and may be a prent now, in LMICs you may have experienced corporal punishment as a child at your home by your parents (who had gone through the same experience as children) or at school by teachers ( who would have gone through the same experience as pupils), who believed that that was the best way to correct a child who had done something wrong, even though they love you. In fact they believed in the popular saying at the time, 'spare the rod and spoil the child'. 

I agree that it will take time to change this attitude, especially as most of those who went through corporal punishment will say to you, 'it never did me any harm'!

Today's adults, gaurdians and parents need to be educated to understand that children can be corrected in a different way, without corporal punishment. Like most things evidence from good research will help to change long-held attitudes and practices.

Joseph Ana. 

Prof Joseph Ana

Lead Senior Fellow/ medicalconsultant.

Center for Clinical Governance Research &

Patient Safety (ACCGR&PS) @ HRI GLOBAL

P: +234 (0) 8063600642

E: info@hri-global.org

8 Amaku Street, State Housing, Calabar,Nigeria.

www.hri-global.org

CHIFA profile: Joseph Ana is the Lead Consultant and Trainer at the Africa Centre for Clinical Governance Research and Patient Safety in Calabar, Nigeria, established by HRI Global (former HRIWA). In 2015 he won the NMA Award of Excellence for establishing 12-Pillar Clinical Governance, Quality and Safety initiative in Nigeria. He has been the pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National Committee on Clinical Governance and Research since 2012. He is also Chairman of the Quality & Performance subcommittee of the Technical Working Group for the implementation of the Nigeria Health Act. He is a pioneer Trustee-Director of the NMF (Nigerian Medical Forum) which took the BMJ to West Africa in 1995. He is particularly interested in strengthening health systems for quality and safety in LMICs. He has written Five books on the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance for LMICs, including a TOOLS for Implementation. He established the Department of Clinical Governance, Servicom & e-health in the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Nigeria in 2007. Website: www.hri-global.org. Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers.

Website: www.hri-global.com Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers.

http://www.hifa.org/support/members/joseph-0

http://www.hifa.org/people/steering-group Email: info@hri-global.org and jneana AT yahoo.co.uk

On Thursday, 26 January 2023 at 05:03:33 GMT-5, Cat Morris, India <mandc@lovetheone.org> wrote:

Hi Neil,

This is such interesting reading. All the studies show corporal punishment is detrimental to a child. In our organisation in India (where corporal punishment is used by 80-90% parents and many schools) we have a zero tolerance policy on hitting children. We do training with our staff and parents on how to discipline differently and in a more gentle and loving way. It has been a challenge because all our staff and our children have been brought up experiencing this as the norm so to adjust to a different way has a lot of challenges and it really needs long term, sustained input into a target population to change practice. How to change deeplyentrenched beliefs about corporal punishment is hard, but the results of much more well rounded, confident and more emotionally intelligent young people and staff is really amazing to watch over time and some are now very outspoken with their families and on social media about not using corporal punishment on their children to allow their children to flourish. It is hard to change practice, but with a target population, we are beginning to see results at Love the One. Thanks Dr Cat Morris Director and Paediatrician, Love the One. OBE, MBChB, DTM&H, MRCPCH,

-- Love the OneMaking a difference... one child at a time

www.lovetheone.orgFacebook page: Love the OneTwitter: @ltoindia

CHIFA profile: Cat Morris is a Paediatrician working in India from UK. cat.morris AT lovetheone.org

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