Water Safety

The following articles are kindly provided by RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

Taking Children Swimming

Children can benefit enormously from learning to swim and being confident in and around water. This factsheet aims to give child-minders, nannies and people involved with child-care on a professional basis, as well as parents, some advice on keeping children safe whilst at the swimming pool.

For further advice please read the Taking Children Swimming fact sheet.

Child Holiday Swimming Pool Safety

Each year millions of Britons jet off to sunnier climes. This fact sheet gives a brief overview of a numerically small but significant problem of which families should be aware. It highlights the key trends since 2000, and offers some simple advice for parents to consider before they book a holiday, and points to remember during the holiday.

For further advice please read the Child Holiday Swimming Pool Safety fact sheet.

Water Safety for Children and Young People

During the school holidays, and in particular in hot weather, increasing numbers of children put themselves at risk of drowning. On average 40-50 children drown per year in the UK. To keep yourself safe, when you are in, on or beside water, always follow the Water Safety Code.

For further advice please read the Water Safety for Children and Young People fact sheet.

Pond & Garden Water Safety

Water holds a particular fascination for young children. Whether the water is held in a garden pond, a rainwater butt, a paddling pool or a bucket, a young child will invariably investigate. Due to this natural inquisitiveness from 1995 to 2005 68 children under the age of six have drowned in a garden pond or in the back garden (excluding swimming pools), quite often within the space of a few minutes of the supervising adult being momentarily distracted. It is impossible for any parent to supervise a toddler one hundred percent of the time so it is essential that steps be taken to reduce the risk of drowning within the garden where the child will play.

For further advice please read the Pond & Garden Water Safety fact sheet.