AusLeisure

Water safety advocate Laurie Lawrence and daughter Emma are repeating their series of free online swim support sessions for parents of under 5s throughout February.

With the veteran coach concerned about drowning statistics (Royal Life Saving Society - Australia figures show that 63 Australians lost their lives to drowning between 1^st December 2020 and 3ist January) the session aim to help parents ensure their children gain more confidence in the water.

Stating that anything that could be done to save lives and reverse drowning numbers was worthwhile, he advised “the drowning toll has increased by 23% this summer compared with the previous summer. 21% of those were people between (under) 17 years and we know under 5s are particularly vulnerable

“The Kids Alive - Do the Five Swim Support Sessions are a great support to regular lessons and allow parents to learn how to support their child’s learn to swim journey.”

He is aware that water safety advocates are playing catch up this summer, as many children under five have missed out on vital learn to swim lessons due to COVID restrictions, adding “the peak swimming season is not over yet and parents have an important role to play to help get their young kids up to speed with water safety techniques, particularly as lessons were paused during last year.”

Emma Lawrence, Managing Director of Kids Alive, and also a qualified swimming instructor who created the series, said under 5s can drown in any aquatic location, such as lakes, dams, rivers and creeks and even bathtubs and spa baths.

She explained “that’s why it’s vital they learn the water safety skills that may assist them if they get into trouble in the water. Parents have an important role to play at home firstly in always supervising children in the water, but also in extending the skills kids learn at formal swimming lessons, as the more children ‘practice’ these skills, the more confident they become in any aquatic location.”

With the online sessions running throughout February, with a new session hosted through the Kids Alive Facebook page every Friday at 2pm AEST, she concluded “parents can follow detailed instructions from a qualified swimming instructor, showing key things kids should learn at different stages of the learn to swim journey.

“Each session will be available to parents online for a week, before the next session is posted.”

Click here to view the Kids Alive Swim Support Sessions on Facebook.

Images: Lawrie and Emma Lawrence with young swimmers (top) and Kids Alive Managing Director, Emma Lawrence (below).

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