Why the anti smacking law didn't work

The Anti Smacking Law - hasn’t worked!

NZ’s youth suicide rates are out of control. Children who were just 3 when the law was introduced are killing themselves at a higher rate then any other comparable country.

Good job kiwis.

In just 10 short years there’s been a 178% increase in youth turning up to our emergency departments with a mental health crisis.

One report calls it a ‘tidal wave of mental health distress.’

And our young mums aren’t doing much better - the single biggest killer of young and pregnant mums in NZ is suicide.

Is this all the result of not smacking? No, there’s a whole bunch of factors. But if the anti smacking law was meant to make our homes look brighter — then why do things feel so dark?

Solo parent homes have the worst mental health outcomes by far.

Dads, NZ homes are missing it’s dads —whether you’re in the family home or not, those kids need to feel your strength.

And perhaps that never had anything to do with them feeling your hand.

Find out more in this weeks leading where it matters podcast at leadingwhereitmatters.com.