The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) is urging parents to always supervise children in and around water and always keep young children within arm’s reach, ahead of Coronation Street’s latest storyline.
The advice comes as tonight’s episode of the ITV soap features six-year-old Bertie Osbourne involved in a shocking hot tub incident.
The storyline reflects the dangers that children face at home, in and around water, as the charity has previously highlighted that on average, one child a month drowns at home.
In the upcoming episode of the award-winning show, Jenny, who is babysitting Bertie, gets distracted by a phone call from her bank and loses sight of the young child.
After noticing his football floating in the uncovered hot tub, Bertie reaches towards it and falls in unexpectedly, leaving him at risk of drowning. Fortunately, Steve and Cassie find Bertie quickly, pull him out of the water and he is rushed to hospital.
A survey conducted by water safety charity, RLSS UK, found that 1 in 5 parents have a hot tub at home, yet over half of them (59%) do not always replace the cover immediately after use* allowing children open access, often without parents’ knowledge.
RLSS UK’s Child Drowning Update highlights evidence from the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) that the number of child drowning deaths in England has doubled over the last four years**.
RLSS UK’s Interim Charity Director, Matt Croxall said: “Whilst lots of fun can be had with water in the home and garden/outdoor space, easy access to water in familiar spaces can sometimes make it easy to forget the risks water can bring. Hot tubs are a great place for grown-ups to unwind and socialise, but they can be especially hazardous for children.
“Our recent Child Drowning Update highlighted the risks that hot tubs can pose – three children accidentally drowned in the 12 months to March 2023 in hot tubs after they were left uncovered.
“It is great that such a high-profile programme as Coronation Street is featuring such an important issue and highlighting how quickly such incidents can happen.”
The charity is reminding parents that drowning happens quickly and often silently in as little as 2” (5cm) of water. RLSS UK is urging parents to always supervise children in and around water and always keep young children within arm’s reach. Evidence shows that 86% of child drownings happened when the child was unsupervised**.
To help raise awareness of the risks water can pose around every home, RLSS UK launched a new campaign called Splash Safety at my Pad.
The campaign, which returns in May, seeks to provide young families with advice, hints and tips about how to enjoy water safely at home.
RLSS UK’s Top Tips for Staying Safe around Hot Tubs
- Cover it Up
Ensure hot tubs are covered with a solid, lockable cover immediately after use to prevent curious children from climbing or falling in.
If your hot tub doesn’t have a cover or it is broken, replace this vital piece of safety equipment as soon as possible. Don’t fill or use your hot tub until you’ve replaced the cover.
- Stay Together
Ensure children are always supervised by an adult when they are spending time in and around a hot tub – even when the cover is on. Accidents can happen quickly, and children are naturally drawn to water.
Top Tip: If you’re with a group of adults, take it in turns to oversee supervising children near water. Always ensure that everyone in the group knows who’s responsible for watching the children at all times.
3. Not for Little Ones!
Children under five should not use a hot tub in any circumstances.
4. Talk about the Risks
Talk to older children about how to stay safe around hot tubs. Be clear children should stay away from hot tubs when not in use. Ensure that they never open the cover without an adult present.
Sources:
* Royal Life Saving Society UK Consumer Survey, geographically represented sample of n=1,003 parents of children aged five years and under, (September 2024).
** England only, 2019 – 2023
