As the warmer months approach, Royal Life Saving Australia is urging families with backyard swimming pools to take a few minutes now to check their pool fence, gate and surrounds.
The latest National Drowning Report shows 11 children under five drowned in Australia in 2025/26, with 55 per cent of these deaths occurring in backyard swimming pools.
Around 80 children under five are hospitalised every year following a non-fatal drowning incident, and some will experience long-term health impacts that can affect both the child and their family.
While drowning deaths among young children have declined over the past ten years, these deaths are a reminder that we cannot become complacent.
Children under five are curious and increasingly mobile. It can take only a moment for a young child to reach the water, which is why layers of protection around the home are so important.
Active adult supervision remains the best protection against drowning. But a secure and properly maintained pool fence, with a self-closing and self-latching gate, provides another vital safeguard.
Before summer, we encourage every pool owner to walk around their pool area and check that gates close and latch properly, fences are secure, and there are no chairs, pot plants, toys or other objects nearby that a child could use to climb over the barrier.
Portable pools should also be emptied and stored safely when they are not being used.
Royal Life Saving's free Home Pool Safety Checklist is available at www.royallifesaving.com.au/keepwatch and provides a simple guide for families to check their pool area.
Keep Watch is aimed at preventing children aged 0 to 4 years from drowning by getting parents and carers to undertake these four simple actions:
- Supervise. Actively supervise children around water
- Restrict. Restrict children’s access to water
- Teach. Teach children water safety skills
- Respond. Learn how to respond in the case of an emergency
