Home / Health / Child Drownings: 90% Preventable, Urgent Action Needed
Child Drownings: 90% Preventable, Urgent Action Needed
16 Jun
Summary
- Nine in ten child drownings could have been prevented.
- Black children drown at over three times the rate of white children.
- Urgent government action is called for before the summer holidays.
A recent report by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) underscores that approximately nine out of ten child drownings in England are preventable. This alarming statistic has intensified demands for the government to implement urgent safety measures before the upcoming summer holidays, as an estimated 33 children tragically drown each year.
The report highlights severe inequalities, revealing that Black children are more than three times as likely to drown than white children, and boys drown at twice the rate of girls. Children from the most deprived areas also face double the risk compared to those from less deprived communities. Notably, 71% of children who drowned had been involved with social care at some point.
RLSS UK advocates for drowning prevention to be treated as a public health issue, citing World Health Organization recognition. They propose five key recommendations for government action, including integrating drowning prevention into public health taskforces, addressing health inequalities, and accompanying open water safety initiatives with robust drowning mitigation policies. The organization emphasizes the need for a dedicated minister for water safety.
This critical warning comes shortly after a heatwave in the previous month, during which 19 people drowned, many in lakes and rivers. Politicians and water safety experts are urging the government to heed these findings and act decisively to prevent further tragedies.
