Parents urged to join in SWIMSAFER Week

Award winning swim school All Coast Swim Stars is encouraging the Central Coast to get involved in this year’s SWIMSAFER Week held from November 20-26.

The aim is to help increase water safety in the local community and All Coast Swim Stars, based at Charmhaven, will join more than 1,000 swim schools across Australia celebrating the week with a range of events.

A new report commissioned by SWIMSAFER Week has revealed that 43 per cent of families did not have their children in swimming lessons because they believed they were too young to learn to swim.

The report also revealed only 23 per cent of parents believed their child was a capable swimmer and 56 per cent were not confident their child could get themselves out of trouble in a water safety emergency.

All Coast Swim Stars is hoping to change parents’ minds by getting behind SWIMSAFER Week, an event designed to help parents understand swimming is an essential skill every child needs.

John and Amanda Blake, owners of All Coast Swim Stars said the results of the SWIMSAFER Week report were cause for concern, particularly as last year in Australia 16 children aged 0-4 lost their lives to drowning.

And many more were living with the effects of near drowning.

The couple said water safety experts agreed that infants could and should start attending infant learn to swim programs from six months of age.

“It’s important that parents get their children into lessons as soon as possible so they start to become confident and safe around water,” Blake said.

“Our swim school hosts a highly engaging educational and immersive learn to swim week.

“We take great pride in creating this program that just recently went on to win the swim school of the year for category SWIMSAFER Swim School of Excellence at the annual Swim Australia awards night on the Gold Coast in September.

“We are spoilt for choice of beautiful waterways here on the Coast and now more than ever as we move into the warmer months, we need to educate families of the importance of water safety.”

Events to be held at the Charmhaven facility during the SWIMSAFER Week include safety-focused swimming classes and water safety advice for parents.