Launching its Keep Watch water safety campaign Royal Life Saving warns of child drowning risk

New research from the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia has revealed that drowning risk triples when children reach the age of one, showing that 222 children aged one year have drowned over the past 20 years, equating to 40% of all child drowning under the age of five.

Coinciding with the launch of its 2023 Keep Watch water safety campaign, Royal Life Saving Chief Executive, Justin Scarr explained that the drowning risk triples following a child’s first birthday.

Scarr advised “parents need to be aware of this heightened risk and stay vigilant.

“As children become more mobile, they are curious and unpredictable. It is vital you keep constant watch and restrict access to water around the home.

“We are reminding parents that ‘Kids can’t help themselves around water, you need to. Keep Watch.”

The 2023 Keep Watch Campaign commences in advance of summer, aiming to remind parents and carers about the risks of child drowning.

Royal Life Saving research shows drowning risk for young children peaks in summer, with 38% of all deaths occurring between December and February.

Children aged under 4 years represented the highest number of swimming pool drowning deaths in the last 20 years, with Royal Life Saving research finding that a total of 282 children in this age group lost their lives in a swimming pool between 2002 and 2022.

Of these 85% of deaths occurred at a backyard pool and 44% of these children were aged one year. It also found that most children were able to access the backyard pool unsupervised through a gate that had been propped open or not properly closed.

Accidental falls into water (77%) were the leading activity prior to drowning in this age group followed by bathing (16%). Drowning in children is quick and silent, but it can be prevented.

Tragically, there are an average of 27 child drowning incidents every year, with 40% of these deaths aged just one year old.

Knowing the risks of child drowning can help prepare parents and carers for their vital role in preventing child drowning. Parents and carers are urged to ‘Keep Watch’ by actively supervising children around water, restricting access to water, teaching children water safety skills and knowing how to respond in the case of an emergency.

Scarr noted “this is the time of year to check your pool fence and gate.

“If there is a lapse in supervision, a correctly installed and regularly maintained pool barrier can prevent your child from drowning. It is important that pools gates are not propped open for any reason. Always check you’ve locked the pool gate behind you and restrict children’s access to outdoor areas without adult supervision”

The Royal Life Saving Keep Watch program promotes four actions to keep children safe around the water; Supervise, Restrict, Teach and Respond.

Keep Watch is supported by the Australian Government.

Click here for more information about Royal Life Saving’s Keep Watch campaign.