TQ2 -Swimming and Water Safety Teachers

Purpose of this Guideline

To provide guidance to owners or operators of aquatic facilities and/or swimming and water safety programs as to what initial training and entry qualifications are appropriate for swimming and water safety teachers.

Definition

A Swimming and Water Safety Teacher is someone employed (voluntary or paid) by an owner or operator of an aquatic facility to teach swimming lessons and deliver swimming and water safety programs.

A Swimming and Water Safety Teacher may also be known as a ‘Swim Teacher’, ‘Learn to Swim Instructor’ or ‘Swim Instructor’.

Responsibilities

Swimming and Water Safety Teachers provide education and training in water safety, survival skills and swimming stroke instruction to program participants which enables them to be safer in and around water and to move through aquatic environments. They can instruct everything from basic water familiarisation and survival skills through to swimming technique for fun, fitness or sport.

Initial qualifications

ALL SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY TEACHERS

To perform the duties of a Swimming and Water Safety Teacher an individual should hold at minimum:

1. The below current nationally recognised unit of competency, or its most recent superseded version, or successive replacement(s), regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:
   • HLTAID009 - Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
2. A “Working with Children Check” or equivalent as required by relevant State or Territory legislation; and,
3. The current nationally recognised Swimming and Water Safety Teacher skill set, or most recent superseded version, or successive replacement(s), regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent; or
4. The below current nationally recognised units of competency that make up the Swimming and Water Safety Teacher skill set, or most recent superseded version of those units, or successive replacements, regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:
   • SISCAQU020 – Perform water rescues
   • SISCAQU023 – Plan swimming lessons
   • SISCAQU024 – Teach water familiarisation, buoyancy and mobility skills
   • SISCAQU025 – Teach water safety and survival skills
   • SISCAQU026 – Teach swimming strokes

SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY TEACHERS OF SPECIALIST GROUPS – INFANTS AND TODDLER PROGRAMS

For those teaching infants and toddlers specialist groups, in addition to the requirements for all Swimming and Water Safety Teachers above, individuals should also hold the below nationally recognised unit of competency, or its most recent superseded version, or successive replacement(s), regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:

• SISCAQU027 - Promote development of infants and toddlers in an aquatic environment

SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY TEACHERS OF SPECIALIST GROUPS – PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY

For those teaching persons with a disability specialist groups, in addition to the requirements for all Swimming and Water Safety Teachers above, individuals may also hold the below nationally recognised unit of competency, or its most recent superseded version, or successive replacement(s), regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:

• SISCAQU028 - Assist participants with a disability during aquatic activities

Patrons with a disability should not be turned back on account of no staff member holding the relevant unit, as the unit is intended to enhance program quality, and does not enhance patron safety.

Employee Supervising Swimming and Water Safety Programs

The employee supervising swimming and water safety programs should hold at minimum the below nationally recognised units of competency, or their most recent superseded versions, or successive replacements, regardless of whether deemed equivalent or non-equivalent:

• SISCAQU019 Supervise patron safety in aquatic locations
• SISCAQU020 Perform water rescues
• HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• HLTAID011 Provide first aid

If the employee supervising swimming and water safety programs is located at an aquatic facility that only facilitates swimming and water safety programs, they (or someone else in the facility) should also hold competencies as described in Pool Lifeguards, Emergency Planning, Safety Equipment and/or Incident Management.

REFERENCES

• National Register on Vocational Education and Training, training.gov.au
• Australian Resuscitation Council Guideline 9.1.1, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training
• AUSTSWIM Standards for Teachers of Swimming and Water Safety, 2011, Australian Council for the Teaching of Swimming and Water Safety (AUSTSWIM).
• Swimming & Lifesaving, 6th Edition 2016, Royal Life Saving Society Australia. Elsevier, Sydney

PREVIOUS VERSIONS

• Guideline PR1 Standard of Swimming Teacher Education, Issue 2, July 1996
• Guideline LTS1 Standard of Swimming Teacher Education, Issue 1, August 1991
• Guideline PR3 Standards of Swimming Teacher Safety Qualifications, Issue 3, July 1996
• Guideline LTS3 Standards of Swimming Teacher Safety Qualifications, Issue 2, January 1994
• Guideline LTS3 Standards of Swimming Teacher Safety Qualifications, Issue 1, August 1991
• Guideline AP1 – Supervision of Swimming and Water Safety Programs
• Guideline AP2 - SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY TEACHERS, Issue 1, June 2018