Keep kids safe around water this summer

Parents must keep a close eye on children playing in and around water this summer, warns child safety specialist Clippasafe.

With children playing outdoors, often near hazards such as rivers and ponds, and large numbers of families opting to go on beach holidays and swimming trips, the risk of drowning increases dramatically during the summer months.

Roger Cheetham, managing director of family-run Clippasafe, is hoping that by understanding the dangers, parents can avoid accidents while enjoying the sunshine.

He comments: “Kids love to play in water, but they can get into difficulty quickly and young children can drown in just two inches of water. At this time of year swimming and paddling can seem like great fun, but parents need to be extra cautious to prevent tragedy.”

To help families relax and enjoy their summer holidays, Roger has identified some of the key danger areas and is offering tips on how to keep little ones safe this summer.

Roger advises: “The most important thing you can remember is to always supervise children when around water and not to leave them alone, even for a minute.

“Swimming lessons from a registered instructor are a great idea for all children of a suitable age, usually children over four, but parents must remember that children who can swim can still get into difficulty and should, therefore, still be supervised at all times.”

Playing outdoors:

Whilst ponds make nice garden features, they can be particularly dangerous for children, who can easily fall in.

Ponds pose a huge risk to adventurous children, who don’t understand the dangers of water. Accidents can easily happen if children are playing nearby or are trying to retrieve a toy that has fallen in.

Filled in ponds make fantastic sand pits, but if the pond has to be kept, a fence should be erected around it to prevent little ones getting too close. Even with a fence, however, small children should always be supervised in the garden.

Paddling pools are also great fun for kids, but they must be emptied after use and when out and about, parents should make sure they are aware of any potential water hazards, such as rivers, ponds and even containers that have collected rainwater.

Swimming pools:

Kids love swimming pools and because of this, many parents choose a holiday destination that gives them access to a pool, but unlike local leisure centres, holiday resorts often don’t have lifeguards, so parents need to be extra vigilant.

Inflatable arm bands should be worn by young children and non-swimmers at all times, even when out of the water, to help them should they fall in and parents must ensure that children don’t play on the poolside.

Children should be taught the simple rules of swimming pool safety, such as never running or pushing by a pool, and only diving if the depth is suitable.

In addition to this, parents should make sure that children do not overestimate their own abilities. Most local leisure centres will have a point marking the appropriate depth for non-swimmers, but smaller pools on holiday resorts or at home often don’t, so a distance should be agreed that children can swim up to if they’re not strong swimmers.

At the beach:

The beach can be a fantastic place to enjoy a family day out, but busy beaches can make watching children particularly difficult. Parents need to keep a close eye on kids and never allow them to swim without supervision.

It’s safest to swim near a lifeguard at all times, but if this isn’t possible, parents should look out for the coloured flags on the beach, to find out if it is safe to swim before they enter the water.

Children should also be taught never to stand with their back to the water and not to swim near piers or rocks, as sudden waves can catch them unawares.

Water parks:

Water parks can be great fun for all the family, but can also be dangerous for small children.

Parents should check in advance that the park is supervised by qualified lifeguards, and teach children to obey any instructions that the lifeguards may give them. It’s also advisable to check the signage for all rides, to ensure they are suitable for the child.

Everyone wants to make the most of the summer and kids love to play in water. Hopefully if parents are aware of the dangers, they will ensure their children are properly supervised and accidents will be prevented.

For more information on Clippasafe or child safety, visit: clippasafe.co.uk