Claire Protheroe (Senior Manager Wales)

National Childminding Association Cymru / Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Gwarchod Plant Cymru

Ocean Buildings, Bute Crescent, Cardiff, CF10 5AY

Tel: 0845 8801299                  Email: Claire.Protheroe@ncma.org.uk

NCMA Cymru General Information

NCMA (the National Childminding Association) is a professional membership association. Since 1977 we have worked with registered childminders and nannies as well as other individuals and organisations such as local and national government, to ensure families in every community in England and Wales have access to high quality home-based childcare, play, learning and family support.

NCMA Cymru is an integral part of PACEY providing a dedicated Welsh service for our members, all other childminders and our partners across Wales, including local authorities, the Welsh Government and their statutory agencies.

Our work in Wales builds on the membership package provided by NCMA and enables home-based childcarers to raise their professionalism and provide high quality childcare.

In addition to supporting our members and other childminders in Wales, NCMA Cymru is a key partner in the Welsh Government's Child Poverty Strategy. Much of our work is focused on improving outcomes for families across Wales and raising childhood prosperity. We help and support childminders to provide care for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families across Wales. 

NCMA Cymru wishes to make a general comment about the bill in line with the response from Children are Unbeatable against question 8- Other comments

Are there any other comments you wish to make about specific sections of the Bill?

NCMA Cymru argues, in line with the Children are Unbeatable Campaign, given the overall context and the overall aims of the Bill, the Stage 1 Report should recommend that a clause should be added to remove the “reasonable punishment” justification for common assault on children in Wales. The First Minister confirmed in October 2011, having taken legal advice, that the National Assembly now has the power to legislate to remove the defence and NCMA Cymru believes that this power to legislate needs to be utilised. In addition, the October 2011 debate and vote in the Assembly showed a strong cross-party majority of AMs encouraging the Government to introduce the necessary legislation.

NCMA Cymru, in line with the Children are Unbeatable Campaign, urges the Health and Social Care Committee and the Children and Young People Committee to recommend in the Stage 1 Report inclusion in the Bill of the necessary provision to remove the “reasonable punishment” defence.  NCMA Cymru agrees with all points raised in the Children are Unbeatable response to the bill and cites these as evidence on NCMA Cymru’s view.