Drowning accidents involving children and young people are tragedies that should never happen and could be prevented with simple water safety advice. 

This week is Drowning Prevention Week and The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) are aiming to help everyone across the UK and Ireland enjoy water safely. 

Shockingly, recent statistics indicate that 56 children of primary school age drowned in the UK over the last five years, and 98 pupils of secondary school age.

In a recent survey conducted by RLSS UK, over 55% of parents who had children aged 11 or under said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water.

Make sure children can stay safe near water by teaching them simple precautions:

·     Stop and think -  encourage children to look for dangers whenever they are near water. Read all signs near water and only swim where there are lifeguards

·     Stay together - never swim alone. Always go with family or friends

·     In an emergency, shout for help and phone 999 or 112

·     If you do fall in, float or swim on your back

And don’t forget that water safety begins at home:

·     Fence off garden ponds

·     Empty paddling pools after supervised use

·     Supervise children’s bath time

·     Join a swimming group that teaches babies and children the correct swim practice from an early age

·     For peace of mind all parents should learn basic first aid and know CPR - book your class with Mini First Aid today

For more information on Drowning Prevention Week please visit The Royal Life Saving Society UK