By james art Bridget Phillipson said she would like to hear more from experts about how such a policy could work – a change in tone from the previous Tory government, which said parents should discipline their children.
It comes after Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza said the ban was a necessary precautionary step and suggested similar measures already in place in Scotland and Wales should be adopted in England.
Asked if she supported the proposal, Ms Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuensberg: “We are considering it, but it is not an area where we intend to propose legislation any time soon.
“I would be happy to hear from the Children’s Commissioner and others about how this will work. I’m open-minded about it. It’s not something we intend to legislate, but I think we need to look at how to keep children safe.
She said the measures set out in the Child Welfare Bill, which will be brought forward “by the end of the year”, will address many of the issues surrounding child welfare and protection.
The previous Tory government said it did not condone child abuse of any kind, but that there were “clear laws to prevent it” and argued that parents should be trusted to discipline them.
But campaigners and charities have called for an end to the “reasonable punishment” legal defense set out in the Children Act 2002 that parents can bring if they are prosecuted.
Speaking to the Observer earlier this month, Ms de Souza said: “The way we treat and protect children speaks to something fundamental about a society – banning reasonable punishment protection is an important step in ensuring that the rights of every child is not just respected, but valued.”