New draft guidelines released on managing child safety in aquatic facilities

Designed to help the aquatic industry understand and improve child safe practices, Royal Life Saving Society - Australia and the National Aquatic Industry Committee have today released a new draft guideline on the management of child safety in aquatic facilities.

The draft guideline provides owners and operators of aquatic facilities with practical guidance on how to interpret, apply and operationalise the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the 11th Victorian Principle relating to cultural safety for Aboriginal children and young people.

The guideline is broken down into sections which cover off the main requirements including: how to develop appropriate policies and procedures; what training should be in place; what types of reporting is required; how to make sure interactions are safe; how to appropriately physically handle children in swim lessons; how to ensure online environments are safe; how to implement equity, diversity and inclusion requirements; and how to manage filming and photography in aquatic facilities.

The new guideline will be available for consultation to subscribers to the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO) for the next three months.

Royal Life Saving’s General Manager for Capability & Industry RJ Houston said the guideline is intended to simplify and contextualise existing principles and regulations so they can readily be put into practice in aquatic facilities and swim schools.

Houston notes “the National Aquatic Industry Committee reviewed frameworks, guidance, legislation, policy and best practices across sectors to inform the new draft guideline.

“The Committee was keen to ensure strong alignment of the entire industry when it comes to child safety policy and practice by providing a national industry guideline.

 “This draft guidance will be reviewed again in three months' time to give those working in the industry a chance to suggest any further changes.”

In 2013, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was held. The Commission found a range of factors contributed to environments where children were able to be exploited and harmed, including tragically in some aquatic facilities and swim schools.

Following the Commission, the Council of Australian Governments endorsed the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations in 2018. However the principles are high-level, and it was felt that contextualising the National Principles to the aquatic industry specifically would help compliance.

Both the NSW and Victorian governments have moved to legislate that all organisations working with children and young people must implement the National Child Safe Principles. Implementing the principles is legally required in those states, while in other states they remain as best practice guidance.

While developing the Guideline, the Committee was alerted to the fact that the Working with Children Check requirements vary across all eight Australian states and territories. The committee felt it was important for the National Aquatic Industry to ensure all persons working in aquatic facilities should be required to undertake the Working with Children Check as a matter of principle.  

Brad Low, Chief Executive AUSTSWIM and National Aquatic Industry Committee member said the Child Safety Guidelines were important in providing clarity to the industry in how they can apply the National Principles and provide education programs and activities in a safe environment for children and young people.

Low shared “this Guideline assists an aquatic facility owner or operator to understand what they need to do within their facility and program to achieve not only alignment with regulations and best practices in child safety, but also to give parents and children assurances that aquatic facilities are safe and welcoming places to learn swimming and water safety skills.

“AUSTSWIM are supportive of taking every effort possible to assure the community that aquatic facilities across the country are child safe for children from every community.”

To view the draft guideline, head to the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations section of the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia website: 

To provide feedback on the guideline, please return feedback by way of the provided form to: aquatics@rlssa.org.au

About the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation and National Aquatic Industry Committee

The Australian aquatic industry involves a comprehensive legal framework that pertains to a range of activities in and around aquatic facilities. These include functions and responsibilities in health, training, education, sport, workplace health and safety, rescue, first aid and facility management.

The Australian Government has a longstanding agreement with Royal Life Saving Society - Australia to provide services on behalf of the Australian aquatic industry. Specifically, Royal Life Saving established the National Aquatic Industry Committee to lead the research, review and development of the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation. The Guidelines for Safe Pool Operation are intended to be a best practice guide for managers, lifeguards, instructors, and others working in the industry on the safe operation of aquatic locations.

As part of this agreement, Royal Life Saving Society - Australia maintains a comprehensive up-to-date register of relevant industry policies and standards for aquatic safety. These include, but are not limited to:

• National and State/Territory legislation and regulations

• International and Australian Standards

• Building Code of Australia

• Safe Work Australia’s Codes of Practice

• Australian Resuscitation Council Guidelines

• Australian Quality Training Framework

The National Aquatic Industry Committee consists of the following organisations, representing each State and Territory in Australia:

• Aligned Leisure

• Aquatic Recreation Institute (ARI NSW)

• Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV)

• Australian Council for Swimming and Water Safety Teachers (AUSTSWIM)

• Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA)

• Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA)

• Belgravia Leisure

• BlueFit

• City of Greater Geelong

• City of Norwood

• Fair Work Ombudsman

• Leisure Institute of Western Australia Aquatics (LIWA)

• Leisure Management Excellence

• Moreton Bay Regional Council

• Royal Life Saving Australia and its State/Territory Member Organisations

• Safe Work Australia

• Sunshine Coast Council

• Swimming Pool and Spa Association Australia

• Swimming Australia

• The Y

Royal Life Saving Society – Australia’s research, education and advocacy work in drowning prevention and water safety is supported by the Australian Government. www.royallifesaving.com.au