CONCERNS raised to the NSPCC helpline about children being physically punished have more than tripled in a year, the charity has warned.

The data, released today, said child protection specialists have heard about children being hit, slapped and shaken as punishment.

There were 1,451 child welfare contacts to the helpline where physical punishment was mentioned in the 12 months to March this year, up from 447 in 2023.

Wales made corporal punishment — including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking — illegal in March 2022, while Scotland introduced a similar ban in November 2020.

The NSPCC said more than half of the total contacts to its helpline regarding physical punishment were from concerned members of the public.

One in 10 contacts was from a child, while professionals who work with children directly also reached out for support from the helpline.

NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless described the rise as hugely concerning, adding: “A long overdue change in the law to prevent physical punishment of children must be delivered by our political leaders.”