With the school summer holidays now upon us, many families will be making the most of the hot weather and spending time in the garden with a paddling pool or heading off to the beach, river or park to cool off.
Whilst it’s important to enjoy the warm weather, water safety should be a priority, particularly in the summer months. Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death in children (NWSF, WAID 2018). The National Water Safety Forum recently published its 2022 National Drowning Fatality Report, which showed that almost half of the 226 accidental fatalities in the UK last year occurred during the summer months of June, July and August.
Drowning is preventable and children from an early age should be taught the Water Safety Code and be aware of the dangers they may encounter around water – not just at home from paddling pools and ponds but also when outside the home in swimming pools, rivers and the sea.
To support parents and carers, Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership has produced a Water Safety Toolkit that provides advice on the Water Safety Code and signposting to other organisations that can help in educating families and children on the dangers of water.
STOP & THINK
Look for the dangers. Always read the signs and understand what they mean.
STAY TOGETHER
Never go near water on your own. Always have an adult with you.
FLOAT
If you fall in, float or swim on your back and stay calm. Throw something that floats to someone who has fallen in.
CALL 999 or 112
In an emergency call 999 or 112 (coastguard)
Source: RLSS UK Water Safety Code_2023
References
National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) Home | National Water Safety Forum
WAter Incident Database (WAID) WAID | National Water Safety Forum