Royal Life Saving Australia is urging Illawarra parents and carers to be prepared and always actively supervise young children around water, as the Keep Watch campaign launches ahead of summer.
Over the past decade (2015 – 2025), 183 children aged 0 – 4 years lost their lives to drowning in Australia, two-thirds (65%) in swimming pools. The majority occurred in a backyard swimming pool, where children often accessed the pool while unsupervised through a gate that had been propped open or not properly closed.
Drowning risk for young children peaks in the warmer months, with 35% occurring in summer. It is crucial that a responsible adult is always actively supervising children whenever they have access to water, including social gatherings.
Royal Life Saving Australia Chief Executive Officer, Dr Justin Scarr said, “It is vital parents keep constant watch and restrict access to water around the home. Check that your pool fence and gate are in working order. If there is a lapse in supervision, a fence can save your child’s life.”
Accidental falls into water were the most common activity prior to drowning (72%), followed by bathing (19%). In that same period, 33 children drowned in bathtubs, with almost four in five (79%) younger than one year old.
