77784

Royal Life Saving Society - Australia is highlighting its concerns that more than 40% of all children now leaving primary school have not achieved the National Benchmarks for swimming and water safety education for 12-year-olds.

Royal Life Saving Chief Executive, Justin Scarr says the increased drowning rate in teenagers is a very worrying trend, clearly linked to gaps in education. He says many children are now missing out on lessons, receiving too few lessons or dropping out of swim programs altogether - particularly between the ages of eight and 10 years.

Scarr says for too many years, too many children have not been able to swim 50 metres and float for more than two minutes. Pointing to the latest Royal Life Saving Australia National Drowning Report, he says this is now having far reaching consequences.

Scarr highlights that the Report reveals the risk of drowning increases tenfold for youth and young adults aged 10 to 20 because of a clear decline in swimming, water safety, and lifesaving skills and an increase in risk-taking activities in this age group, commenting “our new research shows the effects of insufficient swimming and water safety skills can be undoubtedly severe, ranging from an increased risk of drowning to a lack of confidence when participating in water-based activities, particularly as children move into their teenage years and early adulthood.

"Many young adults are quite simply being left unprepared for the dangers they may encounter in and around the water as they grow older. Without immediate action to address this skills gap, more lives could certainly be at risk.

"Parents and carers play a critical role in their children's swimming and water safety education, and we strongly recommend they enrol them in lessons or a program such as Swim and Survive, that adheres to the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework and assesses progress against the National Benchmarks.”

The National Swimming and Water Safety Framework provides a nationally recognised, structured and consistent approach to swimming and water safety education, and by ages 6, 12 and 17, children should have the minimum swimming and water safety skills and knowledge set out in the Framework. While these are the basic skills children need, exceeding them can boost their confidence, competency and overall safety in the water.

For example, there are eight basic skills a child should have by the age of 17, which include being able to swim continually for 400 metres; float, scull or tread water for five minutes and signal for help; and rescue a person and apply emergency care.

Royal Life Saving's Swim and Survive program has been a cornerstone of water safety education for over 40 years. Aligned with the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework, it equips children with essential swimming, survival and lifesaving skills. This fun and engaging program helps participants meet and exceed national benchmarks, ensuring they stay safe and confident around water.

There are more than 400 Swim and Survive program providers throughout Australia.

For more information about the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework and the National Benchmarks, click here to visit the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia website.

Image: Royal Life Saving's Swim and Survive Program.

Related Articles

23rd October 2024 - Royal Life Saving encourages aquatic facility managers to adopt key health and safety guidelines and regulations

16th October 2024 - Royal Life Saving launches new fatal drowning dashboard

3rd October 2024 - Royal Life Saving Queensland set to introduce AI-enhanced drowning detection systems training

6th September 2024 - GameDay backs Royal Life Saving South Australia swim programs

3rd September 2024 - Royal Life Saving supports new Australian Standard for home swimming pool safety

20th August 2024 - Drowning levels continue to increase despite ever increasing resources

16th August 2024 - Coroner hears that ‘significant failings’ led to 2020 child drowning death at remote Northern Territory swimming pool

25th July 2024 - Royal Life Saving highlights importance of World Drowning Prevention Day

23rd July 2024 - Gold Coast aquatic centres achieve platinum endorsement from Royal Life Saving

18th July 2024 - Royal Life Saving Society Queensland secures record Government funding deal and announces state’s first ever Platinum Endorsed Pools 

17th July 2024 - Royal Life Saving releases finalised National Aquatic Workforce Framework

10th July 2024 - Royal Life Saving releases new guidelines for inland waterway safety

8th July 2024 - Fluidra maintains support for Royal Life Saving WA’s Swim and Survive program

10th June 2024 - Royal Life Saving shares fears over childrens lack of swimming skills

5th June 2024 - Royal Life Saving Society - Australia and Lynxight announce aquatic facility safety partnership

23rd March 2021 - Multicultural Kalgoorlie adults and children dive into Swim and Survive

13th January 2021 - Brimbank Leisure Centres’ updated ‘Swim and Survive’ program caters for up to 1000 new students

16th January 2019 - Parents urged to enrol children in vital Swim and Survive lessons

18th December 2016 - Royal Life Saving provides new arrivals to Victoria with Swim and Survive opportunity

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.