With alarming data revealing babies under one year old accounted for two in five (40%) under fours’ drowning deaths across the country last year1, parents are being called to start swim lessons for their children as early as possible.
Tragically, 323 Australians lost their lives due to drowning in 2023, representing a 16% increase on the ten-year average1. Sadly, 15 of the lives lost were children under the age of four, with three in five (60%) occurring due to a fall, and over one quarter (27%) while bathing1.
With over two in five (41%) drowning deaths occurring in the summer months1, under fives water safety educators, Kids Alive, are relaunching their Swim into Summer program, encouraging parents to start their children’s water safety journey ahead of peak drowning season.
Kids Alive Ambassador Laurie Lawrence says the national program will see swim schools across the country offering free lessons and water safety events for families with children under five. Providing further support to families, the program also provides five free online lessons, consisting of video tutorials covering fundamental aspects of learning to swim, including water familiarisation, breath control, submersion, floating and propulsion.
Mr Lawrence says with children being able to start their water safety journey from as early as three months, the program aims to encourage comfort and confidence in the water for young children, and potentially save lives heading into the warmer months.
For more information or to access the lessons, visit kidsalive.com.au/swim-into-summer/.
