Constant active adult supervision is the only way to keep babies and toddlers safe around water.
A Water Safety New Zealand video.
Watch a Safekids Aotearoa video about Melody's story.
In 2016, Eugene and Chereen's world was shattered when, tragically, their beloved 3-year-old granddaughter Melody drowned at a public pool. This is their story - bravely shared to honour Melody's legacy and to raise awareness for water safety.
Find out more about Melody's story at the Safekids Aotearoa website [1].
It is important young children are always supervised near water. Never leave them unsupervised.
There are some key things to remember:
Always keep within an arm's reach of your child when they are in and around water.
Never leave children, especially those under 5 years of age, unsupervised near water, including baths, buckets, ponds, streams and water troughs.
All children under the age of 3 years should be constantly supervised in the bath by an adult.
Bath aids, bath seats or young siblings are not a replacement for adult supervision. If you need to leave the room, take your child with you.
Never leave an unwell child unsupervised in the bath
Be aware of unfenced landscape water features, storm water catchment ponds and urban streams near homes.
It is also important to always empty baths and paddling pools after use.
Check out Water Safety NZ’s top tips to keep children and babies water safe [2].
Always use pool fencing (at least 1.2m high) that completely surrounds your pool, including spa pools. Check pool fences and gates regularly.
Other things to consider:
See the pool area safety checklist at the Auckland Council | Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau website [3].
It is important to introduce children to water in a positive, caring manner. Sharing bath time and visiting your local pool are positive steps to developing water confidence and safety skills in your child.
While babies and toddlers are particularly at risk near water, there is still a risk to all young children. Young tamariki are curious, fast and attracted to water but can also slip and drown very quickly.
How children in Aotearoa New Zealand drown:
Check out Safekids’ top safety tips for children, by age group (PDF, 131KB) [5].
It is important to teach children from a young age how to be safe around water. One of the things you can teach them is to follow Surf Lifesaving NZ’s 3 Rs rip survival plan if they are ever caught in a rip.
3 Rs rip survival plan: relax, raise, ride.
Check out Surf Lifesaving NZ’s beach basics [6].
Your first priority is to get a drowning child out of the water as quickly as possible. If they aren't breathing, place them on their back on a firm surface and start CPR.
This page last reviewed 28 September 2022.
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Links
[1] https://starship.org.nz/safekids/melodysstory
[2] https://watersafety.org.nz/Community-Resources/Eight%20ways%20to%20keep%20babies%20and%20toddlers%20water%20safe
[3] https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/building-and-consents/building-renovation-projects/install-residential-small-heated-pool/Pages/restrict-access-pool-area.aspx
[4] https://splashsave.thinkific.com/courses/Introduction-to-water-safety
[5] https://media.starship.org.nz/download-drowning-reference-card/0061_ReferenceCard_A4_Drowning_3.0.pdf
[6] https://www.surflifesaving.org.nz/stay-safe/beach-safety-messages/beach-basics
[7] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/emergencies-cpr
[8] https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/resources/resource-library/circumstances-surrounding-drowning-in-those-under-25-in-new-zealand-1980-2002/
[9] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/node/1760
[10] https://www.starship.org.nz/safekids/drowning-birth-11-months/
[11] https://www.starship.org.nz/safekids/drowning-1-2-years
[12] https://www.starship.org.nz/safekids/drowning-3-4-years
[13] https://www.starship.org.nz/safekids/drowning-5-9-years
[14] https://www.starship.org.nz/safekids/drowning-10-14-years
[15] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/node/1759
[16] https://under5.org.nz/
[17] https://watersafety.org.nz/Water-Skills-For-Life---Kids-Have-Fun-and-Learn-Water-Safety
[18] https://watersafety.org.nz/Community-Resources/How%20to%20be%20Beach%20Water%20Safe
[19] https://watersafety.org.nz/community-resources?src=nav
[20] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/node/1764
[21] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/node/1761
[22] https://www.surflifesaving.org.nz/stay-safe
[23] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/node/2760
[24] https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F33