Water Babies supports Drowning Prevention Week campaign to improve safety in the water for  babies and children 

16.06.22, London – Water Babies, the UK’s largest baby swimming school, will be supporting long running partner, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), ahead of the charity’s Drowning  Prevention Week, taking place from the 18th – 15th June 2022, organised each year to help reduce  the number of accidental drownings in the UK and raise awareness of the importance of safety in the  water. 

As part of this year’s campaign, there will be a particular focus on children and young people, to help  them establish a safe relationship with the water as early as possible. It will also aim to inspire  children to have a positive future relationship with water, by understanding the mental and physical  benefits that being in, on and around water brings. RLSS UK is also launching a brand-new animation  for 2022 to help get lifesaving messages across to children.  

According to RLSS UK research, more than 400 people die each year in the UK and Ireland from  accidental drowning, with most deaths occurring in June, July, and August. The UK has seen a rise in  the number of drownings over the last few years.  

During Drowning Prevention Week, RLSS UK will be working through schools, leisure and the media  to deliver water safety education and training. There are a range of useful resources available to  pool operators and swim schools to help them to improve the public’s water safety skills and  knowledge. In addition, there are a number of media resources to help share these vital messages. 

Commenting on the upcoming campaign, Hannah Smith, Aquatics Director at Water Babies said: “Learning to swim is not only a lifesaving skill that saves thousands of people’s lives every year, but it’s also essential to build awareness of water safety for children and parents. We are proud to work  closely each year with our partner, the RLSS UK on its Drowning Prevention Week to continue raising  awareness of the importance of safety in the water. 

“Sadly, drowning is the cause of one-third of accidental deaths of children under 5 in the UK, so  increasing awareness and understanding of what can be done to prevent any accidents and protect  babies and toddlers will ensure a safer experience at the swimming pool, whilst still having fun. And  little ones are never too young to start learning this skill for life.” 

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “It’s vitally important that everyone has an  understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months. Water safety education is vital  and, in some instances, could be a child’s only opportunity to learn about the water, so we are  delighted to be working with Water Babies to raise awareness around Drowning Prevention Week,  particularly given our focus on children and young people this year. 

“We believe that water safety information should be accessible to all. In an ideal world, every child  would learn to swim. However, as this is not the case, our resources can be delivered in the  classroom or at home, which means while there may be barriers to accessing water, every child can  still benefit from water safety education – and they are never to young to start!”