The Association of Directors of Social Services backed calls for a complete ban and will continue to campaign for one when the Children Bill goes before the Commons later in the year.
Andrew Cozens, the association's president, said the compromise amendment backed by Lords last week to allow parents to administer light slaps would confuse the situation.
"I think as it stands it will be quite difficult for police, social services and other welfare associations to work out exactly where this arbitrary line will be drawn," he said.
He denied claims by Lord Laming and others opposed to a total ban that this would swamp social services.
"What we need is a clear and unambiguous statement on smacking, which should be backed up by the use of social workers' discretion as it is for adults," he said. "Otherwise we will just create confusion in the minds of parents over what is acceptable and what is not."
Ian Johnston, director of the British Association of Social Workers, agreed that the compromise would create difficulties for social workers.
"In effect the law is saying it is still acceptable to hit children and it shows a worrying reliance on controlling children by fear," he said.
"The amendment makes it harder for social workers who are trying to get parents to look at other forms of discipline."
Felicity Collier, chief executive of BAAF Adoption & Fostering, condemned the "fudge" and said the example of foster carers showed that adults would find other ways to deal with naughty children if they were forced to.
"Foster carers look after very challenging children who often have severe behavioural problems," she said. "They are not allowed to hit children at all, however lightly.
"Adopters have the same rights as all parents but we run training programmes to help them deal with challenging beha- viour. Parents can learn from the ways adopters and foster carers deal with bad behaviour."
Vicki Swain, project manager at the Fostering Network, backed more behavioural management training for all parents. "There needs to be an acknowledgement from government that not everyone is equipped with the skills to deal with naughty children. Parental classes shouldn't be viewed as a punishment, they should be seen as a form of support," she said.
- see Analysis, p11, Interview, p15.
