If the proposal is implemented, Wales would become the second country in the UK to outlaw physical punishment for youngsters.

The Scottish government has already announced plans to remove the defence of “justifiable assault” in Scottish law, which currently allows parents to use physical punishment to admonish a child.

Yesterday Huw Irranca-Davies, the Welsh minister for children and social care, launched a 12-week consultation on the issue.

He said: “We want parents to be confident in managing their children’s behaviour without feeling they must resort to physical punishment.

“If there is any potential risk of harm to a child, it is our obligation as a government to take action.

“Legislation was introduced years ago to stop physical punishment in schools – now is the time to ensure it is not acceptable anywhere.”

He said physical punishment had been shown to have “negative long-term impacts on a child’s life chances” and was an “ineffective punishment”.

The proposed legislation would not create a new offence but would instead remove a defence to the existing offences of assault and battery.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has long campaigned for children to have the same protection against assault as adults.

Other countries to have made the change include France, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland.