Key Facts:
· 15 children under the age of five lost their lives to drowning last year, with one-year olds making up two-fifths of these deaths
· Over half of drownings among children aged under 5 in 2024 were due to falls into water, with more than one-tenth happening at home
Water safety experts are urging parents to be vigilant about starting swimming lessons from as early as three months, with the latest data showing one-year-olds are at the greatest risk of losing their lives to drowning among under-fives, accounting for 40% of fatalities.
Despite a welcome 20% decline in drowning deaths among children under five compared to the 10-year average, the latest data still links over half (53%) of drownings in children under the age of five to falls into water, while a notable 13% occurred at home.
The call comes ahead of the national Swim Into Summer campaign, running from 29th September to 3rd October, offering families access to five free online swim lessons to kickstart water safety at home and complement formal swim instruction.
Swim schools across the country will also be offering free formal lessons to help families get started.
The online resources cover core water skills: water familiarisation, breath control, submersion, floating, propulsion and essential foundations, helping parents reinforce what children learn in formal lessons to give kids a vital head start.
Quotes:
Sam Riley Olympian
Sam Riley, Olympian and founder of Sam Riley Swim Schools is lending her support to the campaign and urged families to take advantage of the free resources on offer and enhance the skills being learnt at swim schools.
"Drowning is silent, fast, and it happens when we least expect it - especially around the home where families assume it is safest for their children. My children all started learning to swim around 6 months old because it is vital to get children safe and comfortable around water as early as possible.
Emma Lawrence National Operations Manager, Kids Alive
"We are seeing positive signs that the water safety message is reaching families but one-year-olds are still the most at risk. Their mobility is increasing but their awareness of danger isn't. That's why starting swim lessons between three to six months old are vital to help them build familiarity, confidence and increase safety around water."
Alarmingly, five-year-olds by single year, recorded the highest number of drowning deaths in the 5-11 age bracket.
"The flip side of these fatalities is that for every child that drowns, up to 8 others suffer a non-fatal drowning, with many children impacted by a lifelong disability. That tells us we need to start teaching kids to swim when they are young and continue consistently through childhood to ensure maximum protection."
To access the free lessons and find your nearest participating swim school head to, visit: https://kidsalive.com.au/swim-into-summer
