The Rookie Rescue Skills programme marks the first time that the Royal Life Saving Society UK has produced a set of inclusive and accessible awards aimed at introducing children with disabilities to lifesaving. We’re proud to be working with our incredible strategic partner, Level Water, to bring this programme to all our lifesaving clubs, leisure centres and swim schools.

Children with disabilities and water safety training

We know that children with disabilities are less likely to be able to access the kind of water safety training that can be found in our Rookie Lifeguard programme. The Rookie Lifeguard Pool Programme is aimed at children aged 8 years and older who have completed the equivalent of the Swim England Stage 7 award. Alternatively, with Rookie Rescue Skills children with disabilities who are aged 6 years and older and have completed the Stage 3 Swim England Learn to Swim Programme will be able to take part in this new award.

Many families with children who have disabilities identify swimming as one of their children’s favourite activities. It makes sense when you consider the weightless feeling when the water supports your body and allows you to move in a way that might not be possible on land! Of course, there’s also the joyful experience we all have when we spend time in the water—the feeling of wellbeing, the joy of a well-timed playful splash, and the relaxing effect of gentle activity on our bodies.

But if a child with disabilities isn’t supported in a way that enables them to learn to swim to the required standard of most water safety training programmes, how will they ever learn these vital skills? How will they learn to keep themselves, their families and their friends safe around the water? Our solution to this is Rookie Rescue Skills, a small group programme with trained and supportive instructors who work with their students to discover what they can do rather than what they can’t do in and around water. The programme includes adapted rescue techniques, life-saving self-rescue skills, and knowledge about recognising danger and then raising the alarm - all while having fun!

How can we keep children with disabilities safe around water?

Some children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable around water. According to research, a child with autism is 160 times more likely to drown compared to a child without. Not only are they more likely to wander and find themselves without adult supervision, but they are less likely to recognise the risks associated with being around water. Further research has shown that children with autism benefit from water safety training, which means that this is potentially a life-saving intervention.

Rookie Rescue Skills offers a programme of water safety training that can benefit all children with disabilities. The course is not only a fun and engaging way to transition from one-to-one swimming lessons to small group classes, but it teaches real skills that could one day turn Rookies from bystanders into lifesavers.

Why our partnership with Level Water is important

Level Water is a truly magical charity. Its goal is to enable children with disabilities to fall in love with swimming. Access to swimming is not equal in the UK; children with disabilities often cannot participate in swimming lessons in the same way as their peers. Our partnership with Level Water has been the perfect collaboration to change this.

With access to swimming, children improve their confidence and resilience, as well as their physical skills. It offers opportunities for family activities and enables them to develop a lifetime love for the water.

We couldn’t have written the Rookie Rescue Skills programme without the assistance of Level Water and its knowledgeable staff and partners, nor without their enthusiasm. The programme offers a progression pathway for those who learn to swim with Level Water.

We hope that Level Water’s graduates will fall in love with lifesaving like they have fallen in love with swimming.

Find out more about Rookie Rescue Skills

Sources

1 Guan, J. and Li, Guohua. (2017) ‘Injury Mortality in Individuals with Autism’, American Journal of Public Health, vol. 107, no. 5, pp. 791-793.

2 Pullen, M., Neely, L., Kirkpatrick, M. et al. (2024) ‘Teaching Pool Side Safety Skills to Decrease Elopement-Related Incidents for Children with ASD’, Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 1055-1068.