Watch Around Water

Watch Around Water policy

Active Manningham has in place a Watch Around Water policy which applies at Aquarena Aquatic and Leisure Centre. This policy relates to parental/guardian supervision of children at all times.

Why must children be supervised?

Young children may not have the cognitive skills or experience to recognise danger. Around water, a child’s confidence can sometimes exceed their swimming ability, which may lead them to take risks without understanding the potential consequences.

Although lifeguards supervise our pools, they cannot provide focused attention to every individual child. Active parental supervision ensures that an adult who knows the child is present and able to respond immediately if assistance is needed.

Do I need to supervise my child during swimming lessons?

Yes. Children must be actively supervised by a parent or guardian throughout their swimming lesson.

Children may need encouragement, help using the bathroom or support for other personal needs. In the unlikely event of an emergency, the swimming teacher may also need parents or guardians to be present and ready to assist their child out of the water.

OUR POLICY

Aquarena is one of 260 accredited Watch Around Water centres across Victoria.

The Watch Around Water program was developed in response to research showing that lapses in parent/ guardian supervision contributed to child drowning incidents. Since the program was introduced in 2011, active parental supervision has helped reduce fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents at aquatic facilities.

Aquarena rules

Please be aware of the Watch Around Water policy which applies at Aquarena Aquatic and Leisure Centre:

Children under 5 years must be accompanied by a parent/guardian both in the centre and in the water, and must remain within arm's reach during play activities.
Children under 10 years must be accompanied into the centre by a parent/guardian, who must actively supervise them and maintain an unobstructed view at all times and they must wear an issued wristband.
For children 10+ years, parents must determine the level of supervision needed based on their child's swimming ability and overall development.

Recommended supervision ratios:

If English is not your first language please click the links below to view translated Watch Around Water resources:

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Watch Around Water