This week, 14th June – 21st June 2025, is Drowning Prevention Week.
This is a national campaign, led by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), which aims to raise awareness and reduce preventable deaths by drowning.
As summer approaches, it’s vital to help our communities, especially children, young people and their families, stay safe around water, both at home and outdoors.
Throughout Drowning Prevention Week, Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Safeguarding Children Partnerships are sharing a range of drowning prevention resources, and top tips, to help raise awareness. We would suggest that these are cascaded within your teams.
Outdoor Leisure Activities are a fantastic way for children, young people and their families to enjoy our local area. Activities such as swimming, paddleboarding and canoeing are especially popular during the summer months, but we want to ensure that children and young people stay safe, whilst doing these activities.
We are extremely lucky in Cumbria that we have beautiful lakes and rivers to enjoy nature and get active, but they can also be dangerous, without the right preparation and supervision.
Between 2019 and 2023, 51 children drowned in inland open water like lakes, rivers and canals in the UK. These tragic incidents often happen quickly, in warm weather and in places that seem safe. With the right awareness and adult support, many of these child deaths would have been preventable.
Whether it's a family day out or an activity with friends, it’s vital that children and young people are supervised by adults who understand how to keep them safe.
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- Check before you go: Look up the weather forecast, water temperature and the area’s safety features. Make sure there are safe places to get in and out of the water.
- Never let children swim alone: Even confident swimmers should always be accompanied by a responsible adult. Accidents can happen quickly, even in shallow water.
- Be mindful around water if you're drinking: Enjoying an alcoholic drink at a BBQ can be part of summer fun, but alcohol affects your awareness and reaction time, which can be extremely dangerous if children are near open water or if you need to act quickly in an emergency.
- Use buoyancy aids: Life jackets and other flotation devices are vital for paddleboarding and boating. Make sure they are fitted properly and always worn.
- Let someone know your plans: Share where you're going, what time you'll be back, and who’s with you, especially if you're visiting a more remote location.
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) has become increasingly popular amongst older children and young people, but it's not without its risks.
Parents and Carers should always make sure:
- Young people are supervised and know how to use the board safely.
- A buoyancy aid or life jacket is worn at all times.
- A quick-release leash is used on rivers, where boards can become trapped.
- Offshore winds are avoided, as they can quickly carry a board away from shore.
- Encourage young people to take part in structured sessions or supervised groups, especially if they’re new to the activity.
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Open water swimming is extremely popular in our local area and the top tips below should be followed to ensure that children and young people are kept safe:
- Always swim in pairs or groups
- Have a “spotter” on shore, to make sure they know you are safe
- Have awareness of guidance in relation to cold water shock and safe entry
- Use a bright swim cap and tow floats, so that you can be seen
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We want to ensure that children and young people are equipped with the knowledge they need to keep them as safe as possible when enjoying outdoor leisure activities.
We would suggest that you share the resources within this 5 Minute Briefing, and below, with the children, young people and families that you work with:
Please look out for tomorrow’s 5 Minute Briefing, where we will be focusing on “Water Safety in the Home”.
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