Learn2Swim Week has begun, running from the 23rd of September to the 2nd of October, and Hunter families are being offered free swimming lessons for their young kids.
Free lessons are being held at Maitland Aquatic Centre, West Wallsend Swim Centre, Lane 4 Aquatics at Lambton and many more venues across the region.
New statistics have shown that 1 in 3 parents with children under five aren't taking their children to lessons, and 1 in 4 admit they've experienced a near-drowning event.
With children under five being four times more likely to drown than older children, Learn2Swim Week Ambassador Laurie Lawrence is encouraging parents to make use of the free lessons.
"We're trying to do something about it, and we think swimming lessons can save lives, so we've banded together with swim schools all over Australia to give free swimming lessons this week. We urge parents to get their kids down to the pool and start lessons early."
The week-long initiative comes two weeks after the launch of the Kids Alive - Do The Five water safety application, a Turnbull Government initiative for which Lawrence was also an ambassador.
The application comes as part of the Government's Australian Water Safety Strategy, which aims to reduce the overall number of drowning deaths by 50 per-cent by 2020.
Water safety at home and in the family is an area of emphasis for the application as this is a critical area for safety, says Lawrence.
"Most of the drownings occur in backyard pools, so the biggest thing for parents now is to make sure, if you've got a backyard pool, and a big majority of Australians do, the gate is the weakest link. Make sure you've got a magnetic latch that automatically closes."
The application is free on the Apple and Google Play stores, aimed at parents and young children.
Families can register their young children for free swimming lessons over Learn2Swim Week at their website: http://www.learn2swimweek.com/.
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| Laurie Lawrence is an Ambassador for Learn2Swim Week. Image from: https://laurielawrenceswimschool.com.au/ |
