Urgent call for increased pool safety awareness as lax attitudes among parents revealed
As Aussie families gear up for pool party season, a troubling new report underscores the urgent need for heightened pool safety awareness with over half (55%) of pool owners admitting to propping open their pool gates, especially when children are in the pool (25%) or during social gatherings (20%).
The new report released as part of Check-Your-Pool-Gate Month, a partnership between D&D Technologies and Kids Alive, alarmingly reveals two in five (20%) parents let their children swim unsupervised, and a quarter (25%) of families admit their child has gained unsupervised access to the pool.
Laurie Lawrence, founder of Kids Alive and ambassador of Check-Your-Pool-Gate Month, stressed the importance of constant supervision and pool gate maintenance.
“I was shocked to discover nearly half of parents have left children unattended in the pool to complete quick chores,” he said.
“Leaving a child unsupervised significantly increases the risk of accidents. Supervision is a drowning prevention method that parents really can’t overlook. These statistics are a stark reminder of the dangers of complacency in pool safety.”
Adding to these concerns, close to a third (30%) of pool owners have faced issues with pool gates not closing properly, yet nearly half (47%) of the families took more than a month to rectify such a critical safety issue.
“Ensuring that pool gates function correctly and are never left open can be the difference between safety and tragedy,” Laurie said.
“Regular checks and immediate repairs are non-negotiable. A pool gate should never be propped open under any circumstance.”
Emma Lawrence, Operations Director of Kids Alive, said she was worried about how many children were gaining access to pools unsupervised.
“A quarter of families said there was an incident of children accessing their pools unsupervised, yet 30% of pool owners did not have the highest safety standards in place; with no lock or alarm on the pool gate,” she said.
“With nearly a third of families already experiencing a pool-related injury or emergency it is understandable parents are worried. The new report shows 85% of families are concerned about the safety of their children swimming at other people’s pools and based on this information, they have reason to as the best safety methods are not being utilised enough by pool owners.”
In 2022, 16 children under five unfortunately drowned and with summer the start of the peak drowning season, Kids Alive wants Check-Your-Pool-Gate Month to act as a critical reminder for families to enjoy their pool time responsibly this summer.
In response to the report findings, Check-Your-Pool-Gate Month urges pool owners to take immediate action to ensure their pools are safe environments including routine checks of pool gates and fences, fixing any issues promptly, and never leaving children unattended in or around the pool. A comprehensive checklist and tips for safe parties can be found at https://www.checkyourpoolgate.com.au/