water safety – Page 2 – The NEN

PDSA: Vet’s top three things you need to know when taking your dog swimming this summer

PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Walsh says: “As we approach the summer months, many of us may consider taking our dogs with us to the beach or letting them cool off in lakes and ponds. Swimming can be great exercise for dogs, but there are a few water safety tips every pet owner should be aware of.

“Before you think about heading out, make sure to check how hot it’s going to be. Even with the opportunity to swim, days out in the sun could put your dog at risk of heatstroke, so consider whether it might be safer to leave them at home.

“Remember that if it is too hot, even getting your dog to the water might be a problem as hot sand or tarmac can burn their paws. Once you and your dog are by the water, there are many things to keep in mind to help keep them safe.”

Make sure they can swim

“First, it’s essential to remember that not every dog is a natural swimmer. Dogs with shorter legs such as Corgis and dogs with flat faces such as Pugs may find swimming hard work. Some dogs won’t enjoy being in the water at all, so don’t force them. Watch out for signs that your dog is getting tired and encourage them back to you to rest.

“If your dog seems keen to enter the water, it is important to make sure they know how to swim first. If there is dog friendly or hydrotherapy pool nearby, they are great, safe places for them to practice swimming and get the hang of things.

“Taking it slowly and splashing in the shallows can help build their confidence before they venture deeper in. Use your arms to support them under their stomach as they get the hang of kicking with all four legs. Encourage them back to shore frequently, so they know where the exit point is and can return to dry land if they feel tired.

Choosing the right spot

“Picking the right swimming spot is a big step in ensuring your pet’s safety. If swimming in nature, make sure your pet is up to date with their vaccinations, and carefully select the location.

“Lakes are often calm and have plenty of shallow spots for your dog to rest. Make sure to scan the area for any hazards, such as fallen branches, boats, windsurfers, or fishermen as they could potentially present a danger to your dog.

“Also be on the lookout for blue-green algae – this grows in stagnant water and is toxic to dogs even in small amounts. Dog friendly beaches can also make perfect spots for a dip – but remember to check the tide times, look out for warning flags, and make sure the waves are small.

“It is important you never let your dog enter the canals as the water is often stagnant, which can be a health hazard as they may catch an infection and there’s increased chance of blue-green algae growth. There are also often dangers under the water and not many places for your pooch to climb out. Fast flowing rivers or flood waters are also unsuitable as the currents can quickly cause your dog to struggle and get into trouble.

What to do in an emergency

“Never leave your dog unattended around water, even if they are a strong swimmer. If your or someone else’s dog gets in trouble in the water, it’s best to avoid going in after them as this can put you in danger as well. If you can, remain on the shore, calling your dog to give them a target to swim towards. If there is an inflatable ring available, you can throw this into the water to help keep your dog afloat.

On a beach, lifeguards may be able to assist helping your dog to shore, otherwise ring 999 and ask for the coastguard to get help from professionals.

“If a pet becomes unresponsive after swimming or has drowned, it is important to know how to perform CPR to give them the best chance. While you begin CPR, have a second person ring your vet who will be able to offer support.

“If you do not feel confident in performing CPR or dealing with emergency situations with your pets, PDSA has a free pet first aid guide which offers both lifesaving and practical tips.”

For more information on water safety, you can visit https:\\www.pdsa.org.uk\\pet-help-and-advice\\looking-after-your-pet\\puppies-dogs\\water-safety

Edinburgh kids benefit from vital lessons to support national cause

YOUNG SWIMMERS in Portobello have received a day of vital water safety lessons alongside an Olympic medallist to mark Drowning Prevention Week.

Former Olympian Stephen Milne made a star appearance during a Learn to Swim event held at Portobello Swim Centre, which delivered water safety lessons to 77 children as part of the awareness week.

Nine swim classes were delivered across the day by local swim teachers and the Olympic swimmer, teaching crucial water safety skills, from floating techniques to the Water Safety Code. The event helped build on Learn to Swim’s foundations of creating ‘Generation Swim’ – a generation of safe, competent and confident swimmers.

Portobello Swim Centre, part of Edinburgh Leisure, is one of more than 160 pools in Scotland to offer Learn to Swim lessons as part of a National Framework made possible through a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water.

Stephen Milne said: “No one should ever have to feel unsafe or uncomfortable in water, that’s why days like these are so important to reinforce the importance of water safety.

“One reason why Learn to Swim events like this are so important is to energise young swimmers to continue to learn and improve what is a vital life skill.

“It’s always a thrill getting back in the pool but particularly when it can leave a real impact on future generations.”

Stephen won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and has 5 Commonwealth Games medals having competed in three separate Commonwealth Games since 2014. He is also a world and European champion.

Following the lessons, Stephen hosted a captivating Q&A session to engage with all attendees. To commemorate the day, he presented aspiring swimmers with autographed swim caps and t-shirts, leaving a lasting impression with budding swim stars.

Kate Cramb, Operations Manager at Edinburgh Leisure said: “To host such a meaningful event is a real honour. Water safety is such a huge issue especially during the summer months when families start to spend more time near water – so these vital lessons genuinely do save lives.

“It was also great to welcome an Olympic star in Stephen, who was brilliant in reinforcing the importance of learning to swim to kids, all the while keeping it really fun and uplifting.”

The event marked the end of Drowning Prevention Week, in which more than 75,000 children were offered vital water safety lessons through the Learn to Swim National Framework across the span of the week.

Euan Lowe, CEO of Scottish Swimming, said: “Swimming lessons are the absolute foundations to ensuring water safety.

“To have Stephen’s presence and active involvement in them made for an unforgettable experience for the children which will hopefully inspire them to continue their safe swimming journey.

“Drowning is far too common in Scotland, and it is something that we are committed to addressing as a partnership. The event in Portobello allowed us to do that in an engaging way with children.”

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water, added: “We are thrilled with the tremendous success of the water safety event, which undoubtedly left a lasting impact on all participants.

“It is so important to see the next generation of confident swimmers engaging in water safety. Drowning prevention is a topic that needs serious attention all year round but the awareness week gave us another opportunity to reinforce lifesaving skills.”

Drowning Prevention Week, organised by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), stands as one of the largest water safety campaigns in the UK and Ireland, specifically targeting the summer season. Its primary goal is to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to make informed decisions regarding water safety, particularly during the summer months.

Learn to Swim is a National Framework committed to creating supportive and quality environments in which children can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability, or skill level. It aims to develop competent swimmers, as well as encouraging youngsters to adopt a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle with sport and fun at its heart.

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:

https://learntoswim.scot/

Inaugural National Drowning Report launched today

The UK National Drowning Report from the Water Safety All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), authored by RLSS UK and supported by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), has launched today.

The report will be shared with MPs at Westminster this evening as representatives from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) to launch the National Drowning Report during their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign.

The launch event, sponsored by TWF (The Wetsuit Factory), will see RLSS UK Charity Director, Lee Heard talk through the report findings, highlighting to MPs the recommendations of the report to move forwards with drowning prevention.

Former professional swimmer and Speedo ambassador, Michael Gunning will also be in attendance and is due to speak about his challenges within the aquatics community.

MPs will also have the opportunity to meet with organisations who contributed to the report such as RNLI, Speedo, Water Babies, RoSPA, the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), the Maritime Coastal Agency (MCA), amongst other key organisations in the industry.

Water Safety APPG chair Giles Watling is due to open the launch event.

The report provides a real picture of accidental drownings in the UK and uses data from the Water Accident Incident Database (WAID) and other data sources to provide the UK Government with evidence backed data on why the approach to drowning prevention needs to be improved.

National-Drowning-Report-UK-2022 Download

Lee said: “We are looking forward to being at Westminster this evening to launch the inaugural National Drowning Report. The report demonstrates not only the great work which is already being done to combat accidental drowning, but provides a clear picture of where improvements can be made.

“We are hoping to meet with many MPs this evening in a bid to highlight the importance of water safety education in the hope they return to their own constituencies with a plan to begin thinking of how they can improve education and awareness around the UK.”

“The report has been launched during RLSS UK’s Drowning Prevention Week campaign, and therefore helps amplify the messages we have been sharing this week in a bid to reach even more children and their families than ever to provide them with free water safety education ahead of the summer holidays.”

To view the report visit www.rlss.org.uk/national-drowning-report-uk.

Drowning Prevention Week provides free resources to families to provide education for all. Visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW for further information.

A quarter of adults would panic if they saw someone struggling in the water

Research from a national charity, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), shows that one in four adults in the UK would panic if they saw a stranger had fallen into open water, was having difficulty and might drown.

The charity is asking the public if they would know what to do if they saw someone in difficulty in the water. With a number of high-profile drowning cases hitting the media in the last year, the charity is looking to educate more people on the Water Safety Code to ensure everyone can stay safe around the water.

With the summer holidays just around the corner, the charity’s annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign (17-24 June) will be sharing vital messages with the public to ensure that people understand how to stay safe, and if they do see someone in difficulty, that they know what to do.

The research from the Royal Life Saving Society UK also showed that one in four UK adults would enter the water to try and help a stranger who has fallen into open water and was having difficulty. The charity also noted that a further 25% would not be sure whether to enter the water or not.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months.

“We might see people heading to the various waterways in the UK and Ireland on warm summer days and entering the water to cool off. We want people to enjoy the waters that the UK and Ireland has to offer but to do so with the right knowledge and to do so safely.

“We often see that people see someone else in difficulty in the water and they try to help by entering the water themselves, this often results in them getting into difficulty too. The best thing to do when you see someone in difficulty in the water is not to panic, call 999 and try to throw them something that floats that they can hold on to. We would then advise to keep talking to the person in the water, keep watching them, and wait for the emergency services to arrive.”

In 2022, 105 people drowned during June, July and August and the charity’s Drowning Prevention Week campaign aims to reduce this figure significantly.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on its website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign between 17-24 June to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.

Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents, as well as a brand-new animation to allow families to start the conversation about water safety by learning the Water Safety Code.”

Drowning Prevention Week takes place 17-24 June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk/dpw.

Animation launched to prevent drownings this summer

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has launched a brand-new animation which focuses on the Water Safety Code as part of its annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign which runs 17-24 June.

Since 1891 the national charity has been sharing their expertise in water safety, lifesaving, and lifeguarding to educate everyone to enjoy water safely. Drowning Prevention Week is now in its 10th year and continues to help educate school aged children on how they can enjoy water safely and prevent any future drownings.

The charity conducted research with parents in the UK which showed that only around one in six UK adults were familiar with the Water Safety Code and its aims, and one in four parents haven’t or don’t remember ever discussing water safety with their child(ren).

In 2022, we tragically saw 37 people aged 19 and under die from accidental drowning in the UK, and RLSS UK hopes that their new animation will provide parents with a starting point to have conversations with their children around water safety.

The animation walks through the water safety code which is the fundamental spine of all water safety education. It is designed to provide simple and easy to remember information that acts as both a proactive measure to help educate people to make early, critical decisions, and also to help people understand what they should do in an emergency.

The code focuses on four simple points:

STOP AND THINK: take time to assess your surrounds. Look for the dangers and always research local signs and advice.

STAY TOGETHER: when around water always go with friends or family. Swim at a lifeguarded venue.

IN AN EMERGENCY…

CALL 999: ask for the Fire and Rescue Service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast. Don’t enter the water to rescue.

FLOAT: fall in or become tired – stay calm, float on your back and call for help. Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said, “We hope that our new animation provides families with a resource to start those conversations around how everyone, including children, can stay safe in and around water.

“We want families to be able to enjoy the water but do this in a safe way by recognising any potential dangers, and also knowing what to do if they or someone else finds themselves in difficulty.

“The animation will also form part of our education resources that we have once again made available to primary and secondary schools in the UK and Ireland. Last year over 341,000 school children were educated in water safety using our free downloadable school resources and this year we hope to educate even more children.”

The charity provides educational resources for schools to allow them to integrate them easily into their curriculum to provide opportunities for all children to have the vital skills and knowledge around how to enjoy water safely.

RLSS UK are also working with their Patron Lord Storey as in June last year he put in a Water Safety Education (Curriculum) Bill, which went through its second reading in the House of Lords in April of this year. If approved, the Bill will mean that more water safety education will be a compulsory part of the curriculum, something RLSS UK has been lobbying towards for many years.

Lee continued, “Although swimming and water safety are included on the PE curriculum for England there are inequalities in reality that means many children do not have access to the water safety education that is so vital.

“Pre-COVID, almost 1 in 4 children were not hitting the statutory ‘can self-rescue’ standard. Worryingly there is huge disparity between high and low affluence households, as well as between different ethnic backgrounds, with those from the lowest affluence and those from ethnic minorities most likely to fail to reach the statutory standards.

“The work that RLSS UK does, in providing resources such as the animation and other school resources, as well as lobbying government to include water safety education on the curriculum, shows that we are committed to ensuring that there is equality when teaching water safety education to children in the UK and Ireland.”

For further details on water safety and to view RLSS UK’s latest animation, visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW.

Portobello Beach Safety Markers

The City of Edinburgh Council installed location markers at Portobello Beach as part of a beach safety partnership with the Edinburgh Police Division and Maritime and Coastguard Agency in April 2021.

Numbered signs 1-6 have been attached to existing beach defence groynes and yellow circular signs to the sea wall. The emergency services can use these numbered markers to plot your location in an emergency.

Marker 1 – Pipe Lane

Marker 2 – Bath Street

Marker 3 – Bellfield Street

Marker 4 – John Street

Marker 5 – Bedford Terrace

Marker 6 – End of the promenade at Joppa Road

The signage has been used numerous times over the last few years, including search & rescue incidents.

Feedback from emergency responders and partner agencies has been very positive: “The numbered signs worked well, giving a direct place to attend, which in my view, saved vital minutes in our attendance.”

Please stay safe on our coastline. Further information on water safety can be found with our RNLI partners at https://ow.ly/txu250OLkfM

In a coastal emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

#RespectTheWater

Stay safe around water and on the road this bank holiday weekend, RoSPA warns

With the UK set for scorching sunshine this upcoming bank holiday and people heading off for the long weekend, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has warned people to stay safe around water and on the road.

The reminder comes as three young people have died this week in the UK’s canals and multiple road collisions have taken place on its roads.

Keeping safe around water

Carlene McAvoy, Leisure Safety Manager at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: “While the riverside may seem like a natural beauty spot, we do unfortunately see around 70 people a year drown in UK rivers. What’s more, data shows us that almost half of people who drown in the UK have no intention of being in the water at all.

“Open waters pose a risk all year round, though in winter we see more slippery riverbanks, icier paths and freezing cold waters which are often less than 15 degrees. And with that, comes the risk of cold water shock.

“Cold water shock is often a precursor to drowning and causes the blood vessels in the skin to close. This then increases blood pressure and makes the heart work much harder and can overpower even the strongest of swimmers.

“The cold water can also cause an involuntary gasp for breath and cause your breathing rate to increase dramatically. In this scenario, the chances of inhaling water into the lungs increases – and sadly, even a small amount of water is enough to take an adult’s life.”

Staying safe on the road

Rebecca Guy, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “Bank holiday weekends are a fantastic opportunity for people to catch up with their loved ones and enjoy some time away from home. But for some families, this turns into tragedy on our roads.

“Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, we urge all drivers to make a few basic vehicle checks that could end up saving their life, and to take an ample supply of food and drink should they get stuck on the motorway for a long time.”

“We advise people do a ‘POWDER check’ before they set off, which includes petrol or other fuel, oil, water, damage, electrics, and rubber (tyres).

Fuel

Before setting out, check your fuel or charge levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

Engine oil

Use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.

Water or screenwash

To ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen. Check all fluid levels, including coolant.

Vehicle damage

Look out for any damage to your vehicle such as broken mirrors.

Electrics including lights

If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MOT. If a bulb has failed, change it at the first opportunity.

Rubber/tyres

Before setting off on a long journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare.

Look out for cuts or wear and make sure that you change your tyres at 3mm because while tyres should have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit., changing them ahead of that point is always good practice. Tyres under 3mm of tread will not perform as well in the wet.

Finally, before every journey, ensure that you are fit to drive. Make sure that you are well-rested, are feeling calm and are well. If you are taking any medication, read the leaflet and if you experience any side effects that could affect your ability to drive safely.

Earlier this week Karen McDonnell, Head of RoSPA Scotland, commented on the latest release of provisional road casualty statistics:

“RoSPA recognise that the Key Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2022 present total casualty figures that are the third lowest since records began, indeed since 2000, the number of people killed on Scotland’s roads had decreased by 47%. However, there are 33 more families and communities with empty seats at their tables here in 2022.

“Whilst in compared to 2021, pedal cyclist casualties fell by 7%, pedestrian casualties increased by 17%, car casualties increased by 9% and motorcyclists by 2%.

“Scotland’s roads are a shared space, road users with greater power have greater responsibility, people walking, people cycling and people on motorcycles are vulnerable.

“Through the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance, RoSPA will continue to be part of the National Conversation about Road Safety from a Driving and Riding for work perspective.

“Encouraging over 600 member organisations and their drivers and riders to take ownership of road safety and manage driving risk as they would any other risk to their organisation towards the vision of Scotland having the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.”

Swimming should be prescribed to improve health, says expert

Medical specialist tells MSPs about the multiple health benefits of swimming

AN EXPERT in the medical benefits of swimming has told an influential group of MSPs how encouraging the population to take up the sport could transform Scotland’s health.

Dr Mark Harper is renowned for his research in the area and was one of a series of guest speakers at an “Everyone Can Swim” event at the Scottish Parliament.

He told some of Scotland’s key political figures how 15% of people in the UK are taking five or more medicines a day, in some cases to deal with the side effects of another medicine and how taking up swimming can act as a medicine in its own right.

Dr Harper, who swam competitively as a Masters swimmer, told the audience: “There is one medicine that everyone should use and its exercise. For a lot of people, swimming is one of the only things they can do.

“If someone is frail or has a loss of balance, swimming is really the only option. It improves heart and lung health while strengthening joints and lowers diabetes.

“Swimming, as a life skill and an exercise, can have hugely positive impacts on people’s lives and it’s important that people in Scotland are taught to swim from a young age.”

The event was hosted by Scottish Swimming, which in partnership with Scottish Water delivers the Learn to Swim programme for children – a Framework that is creating Scotland’s “Generation Swim”, as a lasting legacy for the nation.

It has already helped more than 100,000 youngsters to be safer and more confident in the water and aims to reach a further 100,000 by 2025, helping them to unlock long lasting health benefits.

Across Scotland there are 37 National Learn to Swim Framework providers, working across 160 pools, with currently 76,500 children learning to swim each week.

Dr Harper, a Consultant Anaesthetist at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals whose research has focused on cold-water swimming, told the Holyrood audience that one in three adults in England can’t swim, yet 7.5 million take to the water outdoors every year. He cited swimming lessons as the only way to keep people safe in the water.

Euan Lowe, CEO of Scottish Swimming, said: “To have an expert of Dr Harper ‘s calibre reinforcing the huge benefits of swimming really helped the message cut through with the audience.

“All of us at Scottish Swimming share his mission to ensure awareness is raised about the major health advantages that swimming offers, along with the other benefits it can bring to so many lives.”

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water said: “Our drive to create Generation Swim is about leaving Scotland with a long-lasting legacy.

“Teaching children how to be safer and more confident in the water is a first step to unlocking significant health and wellbeing dividends. It was brilliant to hear Dr Harper underline that so emphatically.”

The ‘Everyone Can Swim’ event featured a range of high-profile advocates for the importance of swimming and its impact on safety, health and communities.

Speakers included popular triple Olympian Hannah Miley MBE; Alan Lynn, former national coach of Scottish Swimming and Head of Performance Development at British Swimming; and Fulton MacGregor MSP, who sponsored the reception.

Dr Harper is a consultant anaesthetist at Sussex University Hospitals in the UK and Kristiansand in Norway. He is a leading expert in the prevention of hypothermia in surgical patients and the therapeutic uses of cold-water adaptation and open-water swimming.

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:

https://www.scottishswimming.com/learn-to-swim

Time to learn about lifesaving with the National Lifesaving Academy

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) are calling on parents to ensure that their children have the chance to learn lifesaving skills as part of their National Lifesaving Academy.

The awards are a suite of progressive awards that teach personal survival, first aid, CPR, rescue, and fitness skills to anyone aged 12 years and over. Their aim is to teach candidates how to stay safe around water and how to safely assist others who may have gotten into difficulty in both aquatic and non-aquatic situations.

Statistics from RLSS UK show that around two-thirds of children who drown are cited as swimmers, the NLA can not only ensure that children feel confident with their swimming ability, but also ensure that in different environments, not just a warm swimming pool, they would have the skills and knowledge to be able to remain safe, and keep others safe.

Lifesavers can take awards in either beach, open water or pool, or all three if they wish, and progress through the award from the bronze certificate, to the bronze star, before obtaining their bronze medallion, a prestigious award for lifesavers.

There is then the opportunity to obtain a distinction award for those who are able to achieve any of the following: gain a lifesaving instructor award; undertake voluntary service to the lifesaving community; or undertake work experience in the leisure sector.

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLLS UK said: “When designing the award we wanted to ensure it was completely accessible to young people from all backgrounds and households, and this is why we have ensured that the price of the award remains affordable.

“We also wanted the skills obtained in the award to be formally recognised to allow career progression within the leisure industry.

“For many young people, lifesaving is the first step in a long career within the leisure industry. With this in mind, any bronze medallion achieved can be used a Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) hours towards the relevant vocational lifeguard qualification, something which can be a fantastic earning opportunity whilst studying, as well as a great addition to any CV.

“As well as this, our lifesavers will now learn the same theory and techniques you can find in our regulated qualifications, such as First Aid at Work and the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification, meaning that lifesavers will now cover the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for adults, children, and infants.

“With the rise of Community Access Public Defibrillators and the news that all state-funded schools will have a defibrillator by the end of the 22/23 academic year, it was the right time to teach our Lifesavers how to use this lifesaving equipment.”

The skills that can be learnt when taking the National Lifesaving Academy award are vital to ensure that future lifesavers have the necessary knowledge to help others to enjoy water safely.

The programme has been endorsed by gold medal Olympians and GB triathletes Jonny and Alistair Brownlee. Alistair said “I would recommend the National Lifesaving Academy, firstly, because I believe lifesaving skills are really important for anyone to learn, especially if you are going to be partaking in any open water activity, or going to the swimming pool.

“Secondly, being able to swim confidently in open water is a fantastic life skill and this course gives people the ability to do that safely. Thirdly, it’s also important for us all to learn that we can swim in our fantastic natural resources in this country if you take the right precautions, and all of those messages are given to you through the academy.

“More people in this country are swimming outdoors, we need to educate people in how to do that safely. We all want to enjoy the open water, we all want to enjoy swimming and getting active but we have to do that in safe environment.

“You can also pick lots of skills from the academy, you can learn first aid, you can keep yourself fit to look after other people, you can learn about the dangers of different swimming environments, and that is really important and we need as many people as possible to learn all of that.”

The programme has also been endorsed by Paralympic Champion Ellie Robinson MBE, and Olympian and Sports Scientist Professor Greg Whyte OBE.

To find out more, visit www.rlss.org.uk/find-a-club to find a lifesaving club in your area.

Visit our website at rlss.org.uk

Visit our Facebook page – facebook.com/RLSSUK

Call – 0300 323 0096

Why are so many children lacking essential water safety knowledge?

Following the tragic incident that happened at Babbs Mill Lake in Solihull over the weekend, there has been an outcry of support to increase education and knowledge related to water safety.

The team at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has picked up a long list of national, regional and local media engagements and there has been a consistent question that has come from journalists – Why are so many school children lacking essential water safety knowledge?

This has been supported with reminiscing about former approaches through public information films and broadcasts. The reality is that the technology and media landscape has changed so much. Whilst at one time posting some content, on TV, at 4pm in the afternoon would reach a large proportion of children there is now so much choice for children and young people, and it has become extremely difficult to guarantee maximum reach.

The question though is not a question for RLSS UK but a question that needs to be posed to government and this blog explains more …

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, praises the work of the emergency services, who the charity works closely with to share crucial messaging around water safety, but asks what more can be done to keep children safe:

“What is guaranteed is that the majority of children can be reached through the education system. The answer on keeping children safe around water is simple. Education. Only with class-based education and removing insurmountable barriers for some schools to travel to pool spaces will we be able to give every child the opportunity to learn crucial knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and be safe around water.

For many years, we at RLSS UK have been working tirelessly to raise awareness of barriers and lobby to try and push forwards with getting class-based water safety education on the national curriculum. It should not take yet another tragedy, and even more innocent young lives lost, to have to put the case forwards once again.

If you speak to Government about this subject they will provide rhetoric and spin. It is positive that in the national curriculum for England that swimming and water safety are included on the PE curriculum but for too many years now this has been used to mask inherent inadequacies and inequalities in their policy position on water safety. Pre-COVID, almost 1 in 4 children (24% of) were not hitting the statutory ‘can self-rescue’ standard. Worryingly there is huge disparity between high and low affluence households, as well as between different ethnic backgrounds, with those from the lowest affluence and those from ethnic minorities most likely to fail to reach the statutory standards.

Fig 1: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 3-11) who do not meet statutory ‘self-rescue’ standards by family affluence (2017/18).

Fig 2: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 3-11) who do not meet statutory ‘self-rescue’ standards by ethnicity (2017/18).

This uneven playing field is well known and RLSS UK has been asking questions of Government since 2017 about reviewing its approach to ensure equal access. This has been followed up by a petition by water safety campaigner and bereaved parent Becky Ramsey who sadly lost her son Dylan Ramsey to drowning in 2011. The petition received over 108,000 signatures. The Government responses indicated no desire to change its approach, instead included a list of approaches and highlighting the hard work of other organisations who have no statutory responsibility. It is worth reiterating that even pre-COVID those from white, affluent families were much more likely to have access to this lifesaving education, proof that the approaches were not working.

The fact is that charities, individuals, organisations and schools who believe in increasing water safety knowledge have been working tirelessly to fill this gap. RLSS UK is not alone, there are incredible organisations doing great work locally and nationally and work is supported by the National Water Safety Forum. We personally have produced resources year after year for our Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) campaigns during the summer months, and these are always widely used by many schools across the UK and Ireland, but this is not enough and we cannot, even across partners, educate everyone alone.

In 2022 during DPW, over 1.2m million children were educated using our free water safety resources but there are over 10.6 million school aged children in the UK. So ,what about those 9.4 million children? Would they know how to stay safe around water? Would they know what to do if they got into difficulty or saw someone in trouble? Or will we see even more sad news in the years that follow? We have the resources, and we have the knowledge to share but only 1 in 5 children have had water safety education in school in the last year. We have to ask why there is resistance to make this small change to include a short class-based water safety lesson on the curriculum?

The current situation is much worse, there has been an obvious decline in attainment since COVID. Of course, a global pandemic has presented it challenges but the worrying fact is that in many cases, this decline was seen in 20/21 and is not showing signs of recovery. The most recent data shared through the 2022 Active Lives Survey shows that only 34.7% of children from low affluence families are able swim 25m unaided. This means that children from low affluence families are half as likely (34.7%) to be able to swim 25m unaided than those from high income families (76.4%).

Fig 3: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 1-11) who can swim 25m unaided standards by family affluence (2021/22).

Fig 4: The proportion (%) of UK children (years 1-11) who can swim 25m unaided standards by ethnicity (2021/22).

The Government seems content that 80% of schools surveyed are currently offering school swimming, the detail shows a very different picture and says a lot about the acceptance of achievements against pre-set outcomes and standards.

The barriers for some schools are simply insurmountable for a number of reasons. The further backdrop is that there are real and perceived barriers for schools to access swimming spaces. The future landscape is due to make this more challenging, we already know that in 2022 there has been a 5.1% decrease in swimming facilities and UK Active has recently reported that 40% of council areas are at risk of losing their leisure centre(s) or seeing reduced services at their leisure centre(s) before 31 March 2023.

We know that swimming and water safety is already on the national curriculum, but we also know that unfortunately this isn’t a successful policy to meet the Government’s own stated outcomes. Water safety goes hand-in-hand with swimming. We will always advocate for swimming as a life and water skill but our research shows that swimming is quite simply not enough. In our analysis of 83 accidental drownings of 8–18-year-olds in the UK, 3 in 5 (61%) were described as swimmers by their friends and family. This data suggests that being able to swim alone isn’t a guarantee of staying safe in, on and around water.

We have lesson plans which can be incorporated into existing lessons such as English, Maths, Science and more, for all age groups from early years to primary, to secondary school students. We want to be proactive when educating children on water safety, not reactive when we hear of a tragedy like we saw in Solihull at the weekend.

For this to change we need support from the very top. We need the Government to accept and acknowledge that:

Its approach isn’t working for all of our communities and to acknowledge
One drowning or water related death is one too many, and
Each accidental drowning can be avoided by education that doesn’t require huge investment in time or finances to take pupils to a pool.

We are calling on the government to make a change; to finally put water safety education on the class-based curriculum, to give every single child the chance to know how to stay safe in and around water, to ensure that families don’t have to go through the heartache that so many have already endured and to simply care for our children and their futures.

Education will save lives.”

View water safety education resources