Parents/carers often punish children by locking them in a room, usually their bedroom, but this can have a negative impact on the child. If it happen for a long period of time, it could be classed as imprisonment and harm the child's physical health. It may also affect the child's mental health by giving them a phobia or, if they already have a phobia, cause them to panic. Also, the child may have an additional health and/or safety risk when they are locked in the room. E.g. if a fire starts when the child has been locked in the room, the child may not be able to get out of the room before the fire reaches the room they are locked in. Additionally, locking a child in a room could cause them to feel neglected or abandoned, meaning they feel as though their parents don't want them because they did one thing wrong. The best way to solve this issue is to come up with a better punishment, such as sitting a child on the step for a set amount of time, putting them in a "naughty corner" or another option that makes them reflect on their actions, without them feeling the emotions they would feel by being locked in a room.