Keep Watch 12-36 Months
Always actively supervise children around water
Every year 29 children between the ages of 12 and 36 months drown in Australia. Many occur in a few seconds when parents and carers are distracted. Active adult supervision is essential in protecting your child from drowning.
Over 50% of all drowning deaths occur in home swimming pools posing the greatest drowning risk. Children commonly access the pool through a faulty fence, a propped open gate or by climbing on objects such as a table or BBQ.
Actions to prevent your child 12-36 months from drowning include:
- Always actively supervise children around water
- Supervising adult should have physical contact or be within arms’ reach of the child
- Ensure pool fence is correctly installed, regularly maintained & gate is never left open
- Create a safe play area to restrict a child’s access to water around the home
- Establish simple rules such as no going near water without an adult
- Enrol your child in water familiarisation lessons
- Learn CPR. Enrol in a course or update your skills
- Empty buckets and containers that can hold water around the home