Nine out of ten children’s drownings ‘could have been prevented’, shock new data shows

Almost nine in ten drownings involving children could have been prevented according to a new report by the Royal Life Saving Society UK.

The shocking report has prompted more calls for the government to carry out urgent work to save lives before the summer holidays begin. Already around 33 children die from drowning every year – the equivalent of a classroom of children – with fears this figure could grow.

But disturbing data from the RLSS UK found: Black children drown at more than three times the rate of white children; Boys drown at twice the rate of girls; and children in the most deprived communities drown at twice the rate of the least deprived. While 71% of children who drown were known to social care at some point in their lives.

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The RLSS UK were among the first to back The Mirror’s Save Lives for Sam campaign, fearing more people will die this summer. They were horrified after 19 people died in one week during the May heatwave.

Darren Paffey, MP for Southampton Itchen and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Water Safety Education, says that the government has urgent work to do to prevent more tragic summers of drownings.

Pete Kennedy, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at RLSS UK, said: “This report is a wake-up call to the Government. Drowning isn’t just preventable, but it disproportionately harms disadvantaged and marginalised communities. The equivalent of a classroom-full of children drowns in England each year, and we’ve provided the blueprint to avoid many of these tragedies”.

The report reveals that almost every drowning could have been prevented. In 87% of cases reviewed by a Child Death Overview Panel, ‘modifiable factors’ were identified that could have prevented the child’s death. These include lack of adult supervision, unsafe environments, accessible water, and absence of safety measures.

The new report was released during Drowning Prevention Week at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Water Safety Education and calls it a “preventable public health issue”.

A statement from the RLSS UK said: “Drownings should not be seen as random accidents but rather show clear patterns of health inequalities and risk factors, including age, gender, ethnicity, geographical region, and whether the child is known to social care, which need to be addressed.”

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The RLSS UK’s Pete Kennedy added: “The World Health Organization recognises drowning as a preventable public health issue that needs government action: it’s time for the UK Government to catch up, protect vulnerable communities and save lives.”

He points out the Government are aiming to increase the number of people swimming in lakes and rivers by cleaning them up but said they must be accompanied with policies to prevent drowning too, “or else more people will drown”.

“This warning is particularly urgent, just weeks after the half-term heatwave where 19 people drowned, almost all in lakes and rivers. The Government must heed this warning and act now.

“The risks are clear, but this is also an opportunity. The Royal Life Saving Society UK is on hand to support the Government to develop effective, evidence-based policies that will empower everyone to enjoy water safely, free from drowning.”

Darren Paffey, MP for Southampton Itchen and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Water Safety Education, said: “It’s clear from this report that child drownings are a public health emergency and should be treated as such. None of us in Parliament can or should accept the equivalent of a classroom full of children drowning every year when the evidence tells us that the vast majority of these deaths are highly preventable.

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“In the last year, we’ve seen some long-overdue steps, such as water safety finally being made a compulsory part of the national curriculum.

“But it’s clear that this government still has urgent work to do, and I would encourage my colleagues to take note of the sensible and proportionate recommendations in the report and help avoid yet another tragic summer of drownings.”

The RLSS UK’s report on child Drownings in England mades five key recommendations for Government action.recommendations to the Government include:

1. The Government should change the Terms of Reference of the Public Health Water Taskforce to include drowning prevention – the main way water kills people.

2. The Public Health Water Taskforce should apply a public health approach to reducing drowning risk, including tackling the clear health inequalities, environmental determinants, and evidence gaps.

3. The Public Health Water Taskforce should consider the drivers of elevated drowning risk among high-risk groups, including Black children, male children, children known to social care, and those living in the most deprived communities.

4. The Government should accompany its ambition to increase public recreational use of open water with proportionate interventions to mitigate drowning risk, recognising that drowning is a preventable public health issue and not an inevitable consequence of participating in water-based activity.

5. The Government should appoint a Minister with responsibility for water safety and drowning prevention to lead a joined-up approach across relevant government departments.

The APPG will open with a keynote speech from RLSS UK Ambassador and triple Olympic swimming champion Tom Dean MBE, who will urge the Government to act.

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* The report was released after the RLSS UK worked in partnership with the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD), the report includes data on all children (0-18 years-old) in England who have tragically drowned since 2020.