AusLeisure

Paul Sadler Swimland has highlighted that a rise in child drownings may be a result of children in Victoria having had little or no opportunity to build vital life-saving water skills through professional swimming lessons over the past six months.

The leading swim school operator has reported that five children, aged two and under, have lost their lives due to drowning incidents in the past two months and that, since July, the Victorian drowning toll stands at 12, nine higher more than the five-year average.

In a statement, the Victorian-based learn-to-swim business advises that “these children, along with other Victorian and Melbourne Metro children, have had little or no opportunity to build vital life-saving water skills over the past six months - and this leaves them exposed.”

The statement continues “one of the biggest risks this summer, will be amongst children who were competent and confident last summer and who may no longer be, due to regressed swimming ability.

“Additionally, parents and guardians may not watch as closely, expecting that their children’s abilities are the same. However, with no lessons for over six months, this may no longer be the case - all Victorian kids will have regressed in their swimming ability to some degree.”

Noting that, coinciding with children not being able to learn essential water safety skills, child drowning rates have increased worldwide in 2020, the statement notes “this has been evident in countries that were not closed as long as Victoria has been … whereas, participation in formal swimming lessons are associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning, according to the American Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.”

With summer approaching and the demand for water-based activities increases, the statement continues “(this) is a serious concern to all those involved in the aquatic industry”.

Call for learn-to-swim facilities to be allowed to reopen
It also goes on to note that the recently formed Victorian Aquatic Industry Alliance, of which Paul Sadler Swimland is part, “is a collective of relevant learn-to-swim associations and businesses who are paving the way to encourage the government to reclassify the learn-to-swim industry, which currently gets grouped with gyms and recreation centres, to be able to reopen quickly and safely.

“Currently, there is no evidence of COVID transmission in the learn-to-swim setting, in that there is little to no evidence of children transmitting to each other. There is also no evidence that COVID can survive in chlorinated water.

“Transmission increases amongst close contact individuals, which according to DHHS (Victorian Department of Health and Human Services) classified as more than 15 minutes of face to face contact or more than these hours in an indoor setting with an infected person.

“These risks can be mitigated in the Learn to Swim industry and specifically at Paul Sadler Swimland where our lessons are 30 minutes in duration. Once in the water transmission is minimised due to the chlorinated and treated water. Spectators can be limited in numbers, spaced a relevant distance apart, issued hand sanitiser upon entry and exit as well as offered to sit outdoors or in their cars -with designated drop off and pick up zones, thus reducing an already minimal amount of time in an enclosed space. Furthermore, our team actively clean; all toys, props, high touch surfaces between 30 minute sessions to decrease risk.

“In what should be Learn2Swim Week, which the rest of the country are participating in, Victorian children and learn-to-swim businesses are unable to take part. This, along with prolonged forced closures, means that children are at an increased risk of drowning this summer.”

To help children and families prepare for a safer summer, Paul Sadler Swimland is currently providing free online content for all levels of swimmers from babies to teenagers.

However, the statement concludes “nothing beats in pool swimming lessons.

“We need to get children back in the pool for formal swimming lessons, before summer hits, to help reduce the risk of any more children drowning in 2020.

“As an industry we can minimise the risk of COVID transmission, but unless we can start teaching kids vital water survival skills, we cannot minimise the risks of drowning.”

Images courtesy of Paul Sadler Swimland.

Related Articles

16th September 2020 - Victoria’s aquatic industry leaders call for clarity

13th September 2020 - Royal Life Saving survey suggests that swim school enrolments fell by 30% in August

5th September 2020 - HealthySwim Australia expands expertise with new appointments

19th August 2020 - Swimming Australia highlights role swimming can play in nation’s Coronavirus recovery

11th August 2020 - Royal Life Saving publishes new National Swimming and Water Safety Framework for learn to swim programs

4th August 2020 - Paul Sadler Swimland puts hygiene and safety measure in place for post-Coronavirus operations

27th July 2020 - Swimming Australia partners with MLC to support National Flippers program

9th July 2020 - Carlile Swimming prepares for re-opening of children’s lessons as of 20th July

8th July 2020 - ASSA to stage virtual conference for swim schools

3rd July 2020 - Goulburn Swim School to close after 24 years in business

17th June 2020 - SwimDesk expands online software functionality for swim schools

9th June 2020 - Western Australian children return to swimming lessons

5th June 2020 - Approval of Industry Plan sets path for reopening of Queensland’s swimming pools and aquatic centres

28th May 2020 - ASCTA awards recognise swimming excellence

19th May 2020 - ASCTA releases best practices for restarting swim schools and learn to swim programs

14th May 2020 - National Aquatic Industry Safety Committee endorses new risk management guidelines for swim schools and aquatic facilities

1st May 2020 - Royal Life Saving makes the case for the reopening of Australia’s aquatic centres and swim schools

30th April 2020 - ASSA raises concerns over future of swim schools

29th April 2020 - ASCTA advocacy highlights the value of swim coaching and teaching

24th April 2020 - Coach calls for elite swimmers to be given access to pools

20th April 2020 - Swimming Australia celebrates first year of iSwim

3rd December 2019 - VICSWIM partners with Paul Sadler Swimland for water safety education

25th August 2017 - Paul Sadler inducted as ASSA industry legend

9th May 2014 - Paul Sadler Swimland to mark 10 million swims

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.