Children missed out on an estimated 10 million swimming lessons over the course of the pandemic,according to the Royal Life Saving Society. And swim schools say staff shortages mean many youngsters who are months behind in their skills are being placed on waitlists rather than in a class.
The closure of pools during lockdown and years of bushfires and rain have accelerated a decline in the nation’s swimming ability,prompting experts to call for a rethink of education as unpatrolled waterways rise in popularity among holidaymakers.
Beachgoers enjoy the sun and sand at Bondi.Flavio Brancaleone
Lifesavers. They expect another busy period when sunny weather returns on Sunday.
Beach rescues this summer have been characterised by poorly supervised children and adults swimming in unsafe spots who incorrectly think they can handle difficult conditions.
Steven Pearce,the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW,said it was the “first true Australian summer we’ve seen since 2019”,but three years of bushfire,heavy rain and the pandemic had accelerated a trend of less confident Australians in the water.
“I would be confident to say the majority of people we have rescued have really poor swimming or no ability at all,” Pearce said,noting the six drowning deaths along the coastline in NSW this summer had all been at unpatrolled locations.
Last week,two fathers died in separate incidents rescuing their children at unpatrolled beaches,including. Two men also drowned in separate incidents at Windsor Beach on the Hawkesbury River last month.
Twenty-three per cent of adults report having weak or no swimming ability,according to a PwC report commissioned by the Royal Life Saving Society and made public late last year.
Australia’s national benchmarks for water safety stipulate half of people aged 17 and over should be able to swim 400 metres,as well as safely rescue another person in the water. By age 12,children should be able to swim continuously for 50 metres.
But the report estimated about 40 per cent of children now leave primary school unable to swim the distance,with participation in lessons dropping significantly after the age of seven.
It warned of a looming “generational impact” on the nation’s drowning risk,with a smaller proportion of Australians able to swim.
Australia’s national benchmarks for water safety
Every child at the age of six should be able to:
Every child at the age of 12 should be able to:
Half of Australians aged 17 and older should be able to:
Source:Royal Life Saving Australia
Stacey Pidgeon,national manager of research and policy at the society,said the 10 million missed swimming lessons “suggest that children of all ages are at increased risk of drowning this year”.
Barriers to learning to swim identified by the report include cultural and linguistic factors and the financial cost,which may be exacerbated this year by cost-of-living pressures (children in NSW have access to an annual $100 state government swimming voucher to subsidise this cost,but there is no plan to expand this to adult lessons).
However,swimming teachers say there is interest from the public in strengthening their swimming skills,including a rising number of adults who were born overseas,with staff shortages meaning they cannot keep up with demand.
Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia chief executive Brendon Ward said there were waitlists at “most,if not all” swim schools due to a shortage of instructors.
“We aren’t back at a pre-COVID level of capacity,but that is because there isn’t the staff,” he said,explaining the industry had struggled to rebuild its casual workforce after it was shuttered in lockdown.
However,experts say higher participation in swimming lessons is no panacea to the nation’s water safety problem.
Macquarie University Associate Professor Dean Dudley,a researcher in physical education,said traditional swim programs in indoor pools did not teach people skills to be safe while swimming at a beach,river or dam.
“In the ’50s and ’60s in Australia,our beaches and rivers were the go-to for people learning to swim,” he said,calling for more investment in adult swim education through surf clubs.
“We need to start educating people properly,adults especially. But the lessons need to be out of the pool,not wearing goggles,in the natural environment.”
For Dudley,the biggest problem is not people who cannot swim but people who can swim but find themselves in unsafe situations and do not know what to do. He said this summer had created a “perfect storm”:warm weather drove higher numbers of people to the beach,some seeking unpatrolled areas to find a space on the sand but not understanding how to read the conditions.
“Learning to ride a bike doesn’t prevent you from being hit by a car. It actually increases your risk because you are on the road. Swimming is the same,” he said.
Last summer’s national drowning death toll of 145 people was the highest figure in 20 years of data. Drownings this year have been trending lower – there were 29 drowning deaths reported by Saturday,compared with 55 during the same period last year – but with higher numbers of rescues,lifesavers remain concerned.
In response to rising numbers of people swimming in unpatrolled regional areas,Surf Life Saving NSW has relocated about 80 of its city lifeguards to regional areas popular with holidaymakers,including Narooma and Shoalhaven Heads.
In Sydney,Waverley Council has noted an increase in the number of people avoiding the flagged areas and swimming outside patrolled hours at Bondi,Bronte and Tamarama beaches.
“We have people drinking and swimming,we have people not swimming between the flags,and we have people overestimating their abilities,putting their lives at risk,” Mayor Paula Masselos said.
NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said she understood the public was “very keen to enjoy our beautiful beaches when the weather is right” but people needed to remember safety rules.
“Every drowning is tragic and often preventable if simple precautions are taken,like swimming at patrolled locations,between the flags,supervising children and not swimming under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” she said.
“I want everyone to remember their trip to the beach for the right reasons this summer.”
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories,analysis and insights..