Water safety for babies and children

Drowning is when liquid (water) goes into the lungs and stops a person from breathing.

Drowning can either be fatal (resulting in death) or non-fatal (when the person survives).

Anyone who has non-fatal drowning should be seen by a healthcare professional for a medical assessment.

As parents or carers of babies and toddlers, it is very important you understand water safety to help prevent drowning. 

The main steps to protect children from drowning include: 

• setting up barriers around water
• supervising children near water at all times
• taking children to swimming lessons
• learning first aid and CPR

Constant and close adult supervision is key to keeping children safe in and around water. Supervision means keeping constant visual contact with your child. You should keep them within arm’s reach at all times. Never leave your baby or child alone when they are in or around water.

You should never assume someone else will watch children when they are in and around water at parties and other gatherings. Always make sure there is a responsible and sober adult to supervise children at events.

Drowning can be silent — your child will not scream if they are drowning. Drowning happens very quickly. It is important that you watch your child as you may not have much time to react.

Children can drown in shallow water, such as in a bathtub, bucket, toilet or garden pond. Most toddler drownings occur in home swimming pools. 1-year-old toddlers are at the highest risk of drowning. This is because they are more mobile and curious, without understanding the dangers of water. 

Babies can drown in as little as 5 centimetres of water. Most infant drownings happen in bathtubs and buckets. 

While young babies are not at as much risk of drowning as toddlers, it is good for parents of newborns to start safe water habits to prepare for when their child becomes more mobile.

Many child drownings happen because of a lack of adult supervision. Close supervision will reduce the risk and is one of the most effective ways you can keep your child safe around water. 

If you think your baby may have swallowed a large amount of water, sit them upright. Monitor them for any breathing changes and call an ambulance immediately if they are not breathing or the colour changes in their skin, lips or face.

Here are some important tips to help prevent drowning in your home:

• Teach children over 1 year of age to swim.
• Never leave your baby or child in the care of other children. Only leave your child with a responsible adult.
• Always supervise your child. Never leave your child alone near or in water for even a minute.
• Set clear water safety rules with your children.
• Empty the bath as soon as you take your child out of it.
  • Be aware of small areas of water that might attract your child's attention, such as watering cans, wading pools or buckets. Keep toilet lids closed or lock bathroom doors.
  • Cover ponds, birdbaths and water features with strong wire mesh, or leave them empty until your child is at least 5 years old.

Around the pool

By law, all pools and spas must be fenced and meet Australian safety standards. Remove anything from your backyard that could be used to climb over the pool’s fence. 

Here are some other tips:

• Constantly watch small children when they are near water.
• Enforce pool safety rules, for example, no running near the pool and no pushing others underwater.
• Keep a safety ring and rope at the poolside.
• Do not store toys in or near pools. A child trying to get the toy may drown.

In the pool

Here are some tips to prevent drowning in a pool:

• Teach your children to swim.
• Never allow children of any age to swim alone.
• Always supervise your children — this means constant visual contact with your child. Children should be kept within arm’s reach at all times.
• Supervise even if your child is using an inflatable flotation device (such as a ‘floatie’).
• Do not allow young children to use spas.
• Learn CPR and make sure that lifeguards or supervisors know CPR.

Here are some tips to prevent drowning at beaches, lakes and rivers:

• Make sure children always wear an approved life jacket when swimming in deep water or riding in a boat.
• At the beach, lake or river, always stay with your child while they are playing in or near the water.
• Only take your child to patrolled beaches where there are surf lifesavers, and only swim between the red and yellow flags.
• For school-aged children, teach them what to do if they need help. Stay calm, float and raise an arm to signal to a lifeguard.

Once your baby is mobile and crawling, they can cover a big area in a short space of time. Even small and shallow waters, such as water bowls for pets, open toilets, sinks, laundry buckets with soaking clothes and large pot plant saucers can hold enough water to cause a small child to drown.

If you have a pool at home, make sure it is fenced and complies with the Australian Standard for Safety Barriers for Swimming Pools. Each state and territory sets its own standards that you must comply with. 

If you use a flotation device or ‘floatie’ on your baby or child, make sure it conforms to Australian Standards for swimming and flotation aids. Always check the label for the recommended size and age, and check to see there are no holes, tears or leaks before using.

No flotation device is a replacement for adult supervision in and around water. At best, a floatie can help your child become more familiar and help build their confidence with being in water. They are not for safety.

Research shows that children over 1 year of age can begin to benefit from swimming lessons. Infants younger than 1 year of age are not yet developmentally ready to learn to swim. Before beginning swimming lessons for your child, check that the swimming school offers lessons that meet your child’s needs. 

It is important to remember that swimming lessons and swimming skills alone are not enough to prevent drowning in children. 

Read more about babies and swimming. 

Depending on where you live in Australia, there are several organisations that offer resuscitation classes. Check locations of first aid training classes with St. John Ambulance and the Australian Red Cross.

Resuscitation guidelines for babies aged under 1 year are different from those for older children and adults. Check to see that the course you sign up for covers both.

To learn more about pool safety and outdoor water safety, visit the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network website. 

Visit St John Ambulance to learn about first aid for drowning. 

Read the Victorian Government article on water safety for toddlers. 

Visit Product Safety Australia for more information on mandatory standards on aquatic toys, baby bath aids, portable swimming pools and swimming and flotation aids.

Languages other than English

The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne has translated their water safety resource into many community languages. 

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Read the article on 10 tips to stay safe near water this summer for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.