WATER SAFETY

Safe Barriers Save Lives

When it comes to backyard pool safety, the best offence is a good defence
Despite significant reductions in toddler drowning deaths over time, drowning continues to be one of the leading causes of accidental death for Australian children under 5 years of age. Statistics from the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia’s National Drowning Report show that in 2018/19, 19 Australian children aged 0-4 years drowned. The majority of these drowning incidents (63%) occurred in swimming pools.

While pool and spa barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning incidents, evidence suggests that a large number of drowning deaths are the result of barriers that are faulty, or non- compliant with Australian standards.

Kidsafe’s ‘Safe Barriers Save Lives’ campaign urges all pool and spa owners to check their barriers and set their backyard pool defence to assist in keeping children safe in and around water. The campaign features a series of humorous skits with parents employing an over the top defence and celebrations while playing backyard sporting games with their children, to remind families that when it comes to backyard pool safety, ‘the best offence is a good defence’.