Did you know that drowning is the greatest cause of accidental death in children under five in Australia? The sad reality is that each week, on average, one child drowns.  

Supervise your children  

If children aren't supervised closely in or around water, they can drown quickly in just a few centimetres of water.   

Supervision doesn’t just mean watching them, but being within arm’s reach in or around water, especially with children under five. It means giving all your attention all the time, without distractions.   

Children aged six to 10 years old should be watched carefully and constantly by an adult. Be prepared to get in the water in case of an emergency. Children 11 to 16 years old should also be watched by an adult, and not left in charge of younger children.   

At outdoor parties or barbeques, choose an adult to be responsible for supervising the children in the pool. A handy tip is to give them a special hat!   

Restrict access to water   

A baby or child can drown in as little as a few centimetres of water. And any pool that can be filled with 30cm of water or more must have pool fencing that complies with the law of your state or territory.   

It’s important to restrict your little one’s access to bodies of water.   

Make sure there are no objects such as bikes, furniture, or pot plants that a child can climb on to access the pool or any other sources of water after using them.   

Oh, and always take the plug out of the bath immediately (and pop it somewhere little hands can’t reach it).  

Check your pool gate / fencing  

Ensure pool fencing and gates are in good working order and meet all council requirements and Australian standards.  

Regularly check your pool fence and pool gate to make sure it’s safe and get it fixed as soon as possible if it is not. You can also organise an inspection of your swimming pool with your local council or an accredited pool inspector.  

Enrol your kids in swimming lessons   



It’s no surprise that structured swim classes that help kids become familiar with, and confident around, water can set the foundation for later swimming skills and aquatic safety.   

Learning to swim not only keeps a child safe in the water, it helps enhance a child’s concentration, behaviour and physical coordination as they develop new skills, and learn new abilities. At The Swim Factory Australia, we recommend starting lessons at three months of age.   

Don’t rely on floaties   

Floaties, pool noodles and inflatables are not pool safety devices. Do NOT rely on them to keep your child safe in the water. It’s as simple as that.   

Learn to resuscitate   

Learn CPR and update your skills regularly so that you are prepared in the event of an emergency. Resuscitation posters are a good reminder to keep around pools and spas.  

We recommend learning baby and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so you have the skills in case of an emergency, and refresh your skills every year. Visit this link for a free online CPR and First Aid learning program that anyone can do - https://kidshealth.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/cpr-resuscitation.   

Laws also require you to have an approved CPR sign displayed near your pool. You can get one from your local council, pool shop or community organisations such as St John Ambulance  

In case of a drowning emergency, Call Triple Zero (000) and start chest compressions and rescue breaths straight away. And note that any attempt of CPR is better than no attempt.  

Follow these tips and you’ll be doing all you can to keep your little one safe around the water.    

The Swim Factory Australia has been teaching little ones to swim for 30 years across Ipswich. Our centres are close to all major population centres including Yamanto, Karana Downs, Ripley Valley, Bundamba, Rosewood, Redbank Plains and Springfield Lakes. Learn to swim with our passionate team!