Urgent water safety advice issued after survey reveals dangerous mistaken belief

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is issuing urgent water safety advice to parents after a survey revealed a mistaken belief that could be playing a role in an increasing number of children drowning. 

More than half of the parents surveyed (55%) believe they would hear if their child was struggling in water, as they think they would thrash about and make a lot of noise. 

Contrary to this belief, drowning happens quickly and silently. Leaving a child’s side for a moment can be enough time to miss a child quietly slipping under the water. 

RLSS UK has launched its campaign, ‘Splash Safety at your Pad’, a water safety campaign created in response to the charity’s Child Drowning Update. The report, which was written in collaboration with the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), found that across a four-year period, 51 children drowned at home in England, amounting to over one child a month, on average. 

The campaign focuses on water safety in outdoor spaces at home, such as paddling pools, ponds, hot tubs, and more. 

Matt Croxall, Interim Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “The importance of our campaign was highlighted when we discovered such worrying statistics surrounding parents’ understanding of water safety risks. 

“We want to take these misconceptions and educate more families to be aware of the risks, so they can keep their children safe around water at home, particularly as the weather warms up and more people are out enjoying their gardens. 

“Our latest campaign, focusing on water safety advice across outdoor spaces, will ensure parents have a greater understanding of the importance of supervising their children in and around water at home.” 

In the last four years, 86% of child drownings occurred when the child was left unsupervised. As the experts in water safety education, RLSS UK has issued the following advice to ensure that families can enjoy water safely in their outdoor spaces: 

Stay together  

Young children should always be kept within arm's reach. Never leave your child unattended or under the supervision of child siblings.   

Secure  

Almost 90% of parents of under-5s have at least one potential water hazard in their outdoor space at home. Lock doors and gates to outdoor spaces to prevent unsupervised access.  

Prepare  

Get any towels, toys, nappies and dry clothing ready to go before children start their water play. This will ensure you won’t need to leave their side.  

Avoid distractions...  

...such as using a mobile phone when children play in or around water. In a group of adults, appoint a ‘water watcher’ to ensure children are always supervised.   

Empty it out, cover it up  

After your children have enjoyed splashing about in their paddling pool, empty the water out straight away to avoid accidents.   

In the case of larger pools and hot tubs, ensure that the cover is securely replaced immediately after use to prevent children from accidentally falling in.   

Tidy   

When you’ve finished playing, it’s best to totally clear up your space – turn off the hosepipe at the tap to block access.  

Clear away or turn over paddling pools and any other water containers, like buckets, as these can unexpectedly fill up with water if it rains.   

For more helpful advice and tips for staying splash safe at home, including bath time, visit the campaign pages on the RLSS UK website: www.rlss.org.uk/splash-safety