Royal Life Saving (RLS) states that the lack of direct supervision by a parent or carer is believed to be a contributing factor in 70% of all drowning deaths at public pools. That’s why they instil the Keep Watch at Public Pools program as we want to aim to eliminate all drowning deaths and reduce the number of near-drowning incidents at these facilities.
Firstly, what is considered active supervision at public pools?
RLS considers active supervision to consist of four key elements:
- Be prepared: Ensure you have everything you need before getting into the water, such as towels and dry clothes.
- Be Close: Always be within arms’ reach of your child.
- All of Your Attention: Focus all of your attention on your child and get into the pool and talk and play with them.
- All of the Time: You should never leave your child alone in the water, nor should they be left in the care of an older child or with the assumption that your responsibility diminishes due to the presence of lifeguards.
Secondly, how should you supervise your child depending on their age at public pools?
- 0-5-YEAR-OLDS & NON-SWIMMERS:
- Stay within arms’ reach
- Supervision sign for children aged 6 – 10
- 6-10 YEARS OLDS & WEAK SWIMMERS:
- Be close, be prepared & maintain constant visual contact
- 11-14-YEAR-OLDS:
- Maintain visual contact
The above information is targeted at our parents and carers of children to help them understand their responsibilities and the dangers of leaving their children unattended at the pool. Together, we can work together to keep you and all other visitors safe at our facility.
