A drop in drowning deaths in children under five has been attributed to new laws for pool and spa barriers. However, water safety needs to remain a priority for pool and spa owners to prevent accidental drowning in children.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in children under five, with most fatalities happening in backyard pools in summer, Royal Life Saving data shows.
The National Drowning Report 2024 found there were 323 drowning deaths in Australia over the past 12 months, including 35 (11%) in swimming pools, over half of which were in backyard pools. For each fatal drowning, eight children were hospitalised from non-fatal drownings.
Drowning deaths in children under five have reduced by 25% below the 10-year average, which is due to measures such as legislative changes, pool fencing and education.
In 2019, the Victorian Government introduced safety standards requiring homeowners to register pools and spas with Council and certify their safety barriers every four years.
Owners are encouraged to do routine safety checks on their barriers, including ensuring gates are self-closing and self-latching, with no gaps that children can get through.
Extra safety measures include removing climbable objects like barbecues and outdoor furniture near barriers, always closing the gate and supervising children in and around water.
Make water safety a priority for your family: knox.vic.gov.au/pools
