Water Safety and Drowning Prevention

What more can be done to reduce the drowning burden in Scotland

What is the drowning burden?

Source: WAID 2010-2013

55 drownings per year

What is the drowning burden?

Source: WAID 2010-2013

55 drownings per year

What is the drowning burden?

Source: WAID 2010-2013

CountryDrownings per

millionScotland 10.4

What is the drowning burden?

Source: WAID 2010-2013

CountryDrownings per

millionWales 13.1

Scotland 10.4NorthernIreland 6.0England 5.2

Why do people drown?

Industry provision

Community provision

What is the current situation?

• The entitlement to swim is externally driven by Scottish Swimming, there is no clear central policy

• Swimming is not part of the school curriculum

• 25%-30% (<45%) children can’t swim when they leave primary school

• Water safety is not a compulsory part of the curriculum, and is rarely included

• Access to open water is plentiful, this is where most drownings occur

What can we do?

School swimming •Improve and support swimming and self-rescue standards in the curriculum for excellence (could it be mandatory or a recommended activity?)•Improve access to pools for schools•Signpost towards lifesaving clubs, leisure centres, other aquatic activities

Water safety education in school•Improve and support water safety education in the curriculum for excellence (Health and wellbeing syllabus)•Support the use of the RLSS UK cross curricular resources

What is the safety message?

Road safety“Look both ways before

crossing”

Water safety“???”