On average, 12 children between the ages of 5 and 14 years drown in Australia every year; 69% of children who drown in this age group are boys. Between 2002 and 2022, drowning in this age group most commonly occurred in locations such as irrigation channels or storm drains (31%), and swimming pools (24%).
As children increasingly engage with their peers, they still require a high level of supervision from parents and carers. Children can easily overestimate their own ability and underestimate the risks to their safety.
How to keep your child safe
- Ensure you actively supervise your child at all times around water
- Be prepared to get wet and enter the water
- Continue learn to swim lessons with qualified instructors
- Ensure your children gain supervised experience of different aquatic environments
- Encourage teenagers to learn water safety and survival skills by enrolling for a Bronze Medallion course
- Make sure you and other adults model safe behaviours around water
- Update your CPR skills annually
Unintentional falls into water
77%
Children aged 0 to 4 years
20%
People aged 65+ years
22%
Children aged 5 to 14 years
9%
People aged 25 to 64 years
9%
Young people aged 15 to 24 years
