For World Drowning Prevention Awareness Day 2024 – which is celebrated on 25th July – we’re sharing popular water safety resources for primary schools as well as highlighting the importance of teaching this topic within PSHE education.
Water safety is no accident and that’s exactly why we’re encouraging water safety education from a young age.
Globally, drowning is one of the top ten leading causes for death in children aged 4 – 15.
What if they knew how to spot the dangers and ways to reduce the risks from a young age? Before they could swim? Just after they could walk, perhaps?
Let’s explore:
- World Drowning Prevention Awareness Day - 25th July 2024
- The Reality of Drowning & UK Statistics
- Why We Need to Teach Drowning Prevention & Water Safety
- PSHE: Resources for Water Safety
- Community Awareness & Action
- 5 Water Safety Activities for Schools
What is World Drowning Prevention Awareness Day - 25th July 2024
World Drowning Prevention Awareness Day is celebrated on 25th July - one month after National Drowning Prevention Week from 15th to 22nd June - to raise global awareness of the need for water safety education.
Popular across social media, the day helps connect schools, teachers and pupils with organisations and charities to share knowledge and fuel discussions around water safety education.
Founded in April 2021, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly affirmed drowning as a preventable global public health issue and declared 25 July as World Drowning Prevention Day.
Globally, drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years.
We believe that by providing a comprehensive water safety education through PSHE to all from a young age, we can help to reduce those numbers and safeguard our communities further.
The Reality of Drowning – Latest UK Statistics
According to the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), 46% of UK accidental drownings in 2022 took place in the summer months of June, July and August, with many deaths due to dangerously cold waters across the UK.
The statistics and figures in the report are from the Water Incident Database (WAID), which is maintained by the NWSF. Here are the key accidental drowning insights:
- 226 accidental fatalities in the UK in 2022; 105 of them during June, July and August.
- Out of 226; 151 in England; 45 in Scotland; 22 in Wales; 8 in Northern Ireland.
- Inland water, such as rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs, and quarries are the leading place for accidental drowning with 60% of deaths.
- 83% of accidental fatalities are men
- Recreational activities accounted for 58% of accidental fatalities.
With such alarming figures, the emphasis on teaching water safety and drowning prevention education cannot be overstated, especially among the most vulnerable groups and children.
Why We Teach Drowning Prevention & Water Safety
Due to their natural curiosity and lack of water awareness and experience, children are particularly vulnerable.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) reports that drowning is among the leading causes of accidental death for children and young people in the UK.
These tragedies are not confined to the summer months or coastal areas but occur all-year-round, in a variety of waterbodies from rivers, lakes and swimming pools to even bathtubs and puddles.
Education is the greatest tool in the fight against drowning. Knowledge about water safety, understanding the hazards associated with different water environments, and learning life-saving skills such as swimming and first aid can dramatically reduce the risk of drowning.
Yet, despite its importance, drowning prevention education is not universally integrated into the curriculum or broader community initiatives.
PSHE Resources for Water Safety
The NWSF has published information on ways you can participate in World Drowning Prevention Day 2024.
NWSF ways to participate in World Drowning Prevention Day:
- Turn a key location blue, wear something blue.
- Share the key messages within your communities, with families and local decision makers.
- Support the national messages...take a selfie with NWSF pledge cards.
- Have a #RespectTheWater conversation at home and with loved ones.
- Share and tag your activity, photos and videos with @NWSFweb &
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NWSF and RNLI Resources:
- NWSF have created pledge cards to use at your event, download from the link below.
- RespectTheWater site has content and collateral for the 'Make the right call, call 999' campaign.
The NWSF are also encouraging organisations and individuals to use the following hashtags: #DrowningPrevention #DrowningPrevention Day #RespectTheWater
1decision Water Safety Topic
Our water safety topic provides comprehensive drowning prevention education. Through immersive videos with alternative endings, we’re proud of our engaging resources that teach pupils a holistic water safety education, such as:
- understanding the dangers of water
- learning how to assess risks, and
- knowing which actions to take in an emergency
Engaging and age-appropriate materials can help to empower pupils, teachers, senior leads, parents and carers with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe in and around water.
The Role of Schools and Communities
Schools play a pivotal role in drowning prevention education. By incorporating water safety resources into their curriculum, schools can help to prepare every child.
Parents, carers and community leaders can also advocate for and support drowning prevention initiatives by checking out the resources and watching content with their children.
Awareness campaigns, such as World Drowning Prevention Day, community-based workshops and water-safety training complement school-based education and help to provide a multi-faceted approach to drowning prevention.
Drowning Prevention & Community Action
Each drowning incident is a tragedy. As a society, we have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn essential water-safety skills.
Thanks to schools, teachers, charity organisations, community leaders and subjects like PSHE, drowning-prevention education is accessible to all.
By utilising such water safety resources, schools, senior PSHE leads, governors, educators, parents and carers can arm themselves with the knowledge that could significantly reduce the number of drowning incidents and fatalities in the UK.
Five water safety activities that can help children learn how to stay safe:
- Water Safety Rules Poster: Ask the children to create a colourful poster with important water safety rules. This can involve drawing, writing, and discussing rules such as never swimming alone, wearing life jackets, and understanding the meaning of different safety signs.
- Role-Playing Scenarios: Organise role-playing activities where children act out different water safety scenarios. For example, they can practice what to do if they see someone struggling in the water or how to safely enter and exit a pool.
- Swim Classes with Safety Lessons: Enrol children in/ organise swim classes that include water safety education. Many swim programmes teach lessons on safe swimming techniques, recognising water hazards and what to do in emergencies.
- Life Jacket Relay Race: Ask the children to create a colourful poster with important water safety rules. This can involve drawing, writing, and discussing rules such as never swimming alone, wearing life jackets, and understanding the meaning of different safety signs..
- Water Safety Games and Quizzes: Create interactive games or quizzes that cover various aspects of water safety. I.e. identifying safe swimming areas, understanding weather warnings and knowing the basics of water rescue.
