Nurses last week rejected calls to support a complete ban on smacking children.

Two-thirds of delegates at the Royal College of Nursing's 2006 congressvoted against a motion giving support to the Children Are Unbeatablecampaign to ban the physical punishment of children.

The motion was proposed by the Yorkshire and Humber branch of the royalcollege. Catherine Gleeson, a delegate from the Yorkshire and Humberbranch, said smacking can easily escalate into abuse in some familiesand children deserved the same protection in law as adults.

However, several delegates said a ban could criminalise parents wronglyand the motion was rejected.

The congress also agreed unanimously to campaign for national guidancefor nurses on female genital mutilation.

And delegates discussed whether nurses should advise people whoself-harm on how to do it safely, although no decision was reached onfurther action.