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WATCH AROUND WATER PROGRAM

Watch Around Water is an education and public awareness raising program that addresses the supervision of young children at public swimming pools. The program assists aquatic staff to promote safe supervision practices and provides a safe venue for the community to participate in sport and recreation.

The program was developed by the aquatics industry and is based on the premise that it is unrealistic to expect lifeguards to provide the constant and close supervision required for each young child at the pool at all times. Although lifeguards should always be present, the responsibility of supervision of children is shared between lifeguards and parents or responsible carers.

Program Objectives

  • Prevent drowning deaths and drowning related injuries at public swimming pools

  • Promote active parental supervision

  • Assist aquatic staff to promote safe supervision practices

  • Provide a safe aquatic venue for the community

Key Principles

  1. Children under 5 years must be constantly supervised and remain within arms reach

  2. Children under 10 years must be accompanied into the facility and constantly supervised by a parent/ guardian

  3. Unsupervised children (of any age) will be removed from the water if the lifeguard is concerned for their safety.

Program Implementation

  • Watch Around Water is adopted by public swimming centre management as a Conditions of Entry

  • Watch Around Water centres are provided with signage, flyers, training and resources to communicate the program’s key principles in the most effective way to their patrons

  • Depending on the location and layout of your water area the Watch Around Water message is best communicated through signage. This may be permanent or removable depending on your location.

Areas to consider:

  • Entry to the facility

  • Entry or exit of change areas

  • Highly visible locations close to the body of water eg. toddlers pool, play areas, seating, family areas

  • Brochures, websites, promotional material

WATCH AROUND WATER LOCATIONS

In 2015/16 the Recreation SA Aquatic Advisory Committee acknowledged the key messages within the Watch Around Water program of actively supervising children Under 10yrs could easily be extended to public swimming areas not patrolled by lifeguards.

Expanding the reach of the Watch Around Water message to such swimming areas would:

  • Inform users of the importance of active supervision around the water to keep children safe

  • Remind users active supervision should be practiced around all bodies of water

  • Support aquatic staff at Accredited Watch Around Water Centres in adhering to a consistent message

An Awareness location is:

  • Without the presence of a qualified lifeguard

  • Possibly an unrestricted body of water open to the public for recreational play and fitness

  • Possibly a restricted body of water accessible only through an entry fee or responsible person

WATCH AROUND WATER RESOURCES

Life Saving SA have a number of resources available to assist in the promotion and education of the program's key principles.  These resources can be accessed by registered Watch Around Water centres online via Member Logins or purchased by either clicking through to our Resources page or submitting an order form.

New Watch Around Water centres receive a start up pack to utilise during their first season.  A range of resources are provided so management can trial which to be the most effective for the local patrons and community.  The annual Watch Around Water re-registration fee can then be used as credit toward topping up resources for the new season, when orders are received by the stipulated date.