Legal changes aimed at banning corporal punishment or use of force against children came into law on Friday 11 December 2015. From that date a person who physically punishes a child can no longer rely on the defence of ‘reasonable chastisement’ in the courts. No new offence has been created and there are no laws that ban the smacking of children. However the withdrawal of the reasonable chastisement defence means that an effective ban is in place.