Water Safety

Why are school-run Survival Swimming, Water Safety and Lifesaving programs so important?

Every Victorian child should have the opportunity to learn vital survival swimming and water safety skills regardless of location, physical capability, cultural background, and socio-economic circumstances.

The school setting is the ideal environment for the provision of vital lifesaving skills, so that no child misses out.

Drowning is a leading cause of death among children aged 0-14 years. Globally, there are over 140,000 child-drowning deaths annually. School swimming and water safety programs will increase children’s awareness of the risks associated with swimming and recreational activities at both coastal and inland waterways to ultimately reduce drowning deaths throughout Victoria.

Knowledge of survival swimming and basic water safety skills can significantly reduce the risk of drowning, enhance community safety and build resilient children.

The aims of school-run swimming, water safety and lifesaving programs should be that:

• Children will learn the core survival swimming skills as a minimum, preparing them for unexpected entry into (open) water.
• Children will learn personal safety when it comes to assisting someone in trouble.
• Children will learn a valuable skill for life.
• Children will increase their self-awareness, good decision making and leadership capabilities.
• Children will be empowered to take personal responsibility for their actions.
• Children will become the influencers to keep family and friends safe.

Swimming and water safety skills have also been found to provide health benefits for children, including social, psychological and physical wellbeing.

The Victorian Water Safety Certificate, a State Government initiative, details specific competencies that each student should achieve by the time they leave primary school. The competencies focus on water safety knowledge, rescue skills, survival sequences and the ability to swim a continuous distance of 50 metres.