Throughout 2017 to 2019, Royal Life Saving convened a series of symposia and working groups, dedicated to resolving the issue of children missing out on swimming and water safety education.

The commitment brought together experts from government, water safety organisations, operators and academia including: Royal Life Saving Society – Australia; Surf Life Saving Australia; Swimming Australia; AUSTSWIM; Australian Swim Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA); Belgravia Leisure; YMCA (the Y); Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA); Kids Alive Do the Five.

The National Swimming and Water Safety Education Symposia produced a six-point plan to ensure that no child misses out on a swimming and water safety education.

The plan aimed to:

• Strengthen school and vacation swimming and water safety programs in the community

• Revise the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework

• Set and report progress against a national benchmark

• Devise strategies to increase access and participation for those ‘at risk’

• Improve the availability and access to aquatic facilities

• Increase the swimming and lifesaving skills of secondary school students

View National-Swimming and Water Saferty Education Symposium Summary Report