Active supervision means focusing all of your attention on your children all of the time, when they are in or around the water.

Supervision is not an occasional glance while you are busy with other activities. It is being in constant visual contact with your child, and being in the water with them if they are five and under.

Council's definition of adequate supervision is aligned with the Royal Life Saving Society, where parents/guardians are:

• located in the water and within arms' reach of children five years and under, as well as non-swimmers
• watching their children free from distractions (such as mobile phones, magazines and conversation)
• always present
• positioned to have a clear view of their children with no physical or visual barriers between them and their children

Your Responsibility

Lifeguards are an important safety feature at Council's Leisure & Aquatic Centres, but they DO NOT replace the adequate and active supervision of parents/guardians.

You are your child's lifeguard!

Five quick facts

• Kids can drown in a flash. It only takes seconds for a child to drown
• A lack of direct supervision by a parent or carer is believed to be a contributing factor in 70% of all drowning deaths at public pools
• According to the Royal Lifesaving Society, 965 children under the age of five had died from drowning over the past 25 years
• Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death of children aged under five
• Water-related incidents and drowning can happen at any time, anywhere to anyone

Keep Watch @ Public Pools

Council's Leisure & Aquatic Centres are partnered with Royal Life Saving NSW's Keep Watch @ Public Pools program.

• Children 14 years and under are not allowed entry unless under active supervision by a person 18 years or older.
• Parents and guardians must actively supervise their children at all times and be dressed ready to enter a pool. For 0-5 year olds and non-swimmers, a parent or guardian needs to be in the water at all times and within arms' reach of the child. It is best if you are engaging with your child, i.e. playing with them, talking to them.
• All under fives will be issued with a wrist band upon entry regardless of whether they are attending the centres for Swim School or casual swimming. Wrist bands highlight this age groups to lifeguards as high risk and in need of close parental supervision.
• Constant active supervision is required for children aged six-10 years. Parents and carers must be prepared to enter the water with this age group.
• For youth aged 11-14 years it is recommended that parents regularly check on their child by physically going to where they are in or around the water.

#KeepThemAliveAlwaysSupervise