Teaching swimming is an important life skill
A Rutland swim teacher explains why
A Rutland swim teacher has explained the importance of teaching children to swim following new research.
Better found that more than half of parents say it tops their list of priorities with 1 in 5 saying it's more useful in adult life than most other subjects like science and computing.
With the study highlighting 42% of parents feeling "very concerned" about the risk of drowning on a family holiday we've been speaking to a Rutland swim teacher.
Katie Dennis from Rutland Swim Academy said:
"Firstly the UK is an island so we are surrounded by water, Secondly most people in the UK holiday where there is water, paddling pools in the summer, beaches or swimming pools and most people don't realise you can drown in a couple of inches of water."
"If you're able to play with little ones in the bath and get them confident and then take them swimming that's great, but we teach all ages including adults and each age group has there own fears and challenges to overcome but swimming for everybody is a must."
"Adults often think because their children are having lessons they will be ok in a pool, but I urge all adults to put down their phones and books and stay within arms reaching distance of their children."
It also comes as 70% of primary schools rely upon public swimming pools to teach children, but, in recent years, with rising energy costs many have been forced to close or reduce their timetables.
Outside of school lessons, 58% say the cost of lessons are a barrier to participating in swimming alongside the time takes to get to a local pool and the availability of public transport.
To help avoid accidental deaths this summer, the public are being urged not to jump in after someone in trouble, stay calm, stay on land and follow a 3-step rescue guide:
Call 999 to get help immediately
Tell the struggling person to float on their back
Throw them something that floats