27 www.rnca.ca It may be acceptable for a person to use reasonable force to restrain a child in some circumstances. For example, you may need to hold your child down to put them in a car seat. It is not considered reasonable for you to hit a child in anger or to get back at the child for something the child did. It is against the law to hit a child in anger. The use of force when managing children's behaviour There are times when you may have to use force to control a child and keep the child, or other children, safe. For example, you may need to touch or restrain a child to keep the child from running across the street. Or you may need to carry a screaming three-year-old out of a store. Without section 43, parents and caregivers could face criminal charges and might have to go to court to defend their actions whenever they use force to respond to a child's behaviour. If you are angry, however, finnd some way to cool down before you manage your child's behaviour. Provincial and territorial child protection laws Even if the way you discipline your child is not a crime, it could still be abuse. The provinces and territories also have laws to protect children from abuse. These laws allow the provincial or territorial government to step in when a child needs to be protected from abuse or neglect. In Newfoundland and Labrador, if you suspect a child (under 16) or youth (16-17) is being abused or neglected, you are legally required to report it. Call the 24/7 toll-free child protection line at 1-833-552-2368. For immediate, life-threatening danger, call 911 or local police (RNC or RCMP). Reports can be made confidentially or anonymously. www.justice.gc.ca Child Discipline continued Reproduced from the Department of Justice publication Child Abuse is Wrong: What Can I Do? without affiliation or endorsement of the Government of Canada.
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