Swimming skills gap reveals stark inequalities

Targeted initiatives are needed to protect vulnerable youth from water-related harm

Key Findings

International research shows that not all young people have equal opportunities to learn about water safety education or take swimming lessons.
Groups that show weaker aquatic competencies include youth from low-income areas, state school students, and children living with disabilities or medical conditions.
Kids who don’t swim very often or have had bad experiences in the water also tend to have weaker swimming skills and water safety knowledge.
Action must be taken to close these gaps to ensure all children can safely enjoy being in and around water.

Source*

Duke, C., Calverley, H., Petrass, L. et al. A systematic review of demographic and background factors associated with the development of children’s aquatic competence. Inj. Epidemiol. 10, 42 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00447-4

*All evidence briefs are informed by one or more peer reviewed research studies. All study publications used to inform this article are listed at the bottom of this brief with links.

Image: Jorge Alcazar Narvaez via Getty Images

Aimee Eckert

17 Dec 2024

What's this about?

This study highlights the need to address barriers to water safety education and swimming lessons.

An extensive review of international studies reveals that certain groups of children aged 12 and younger consistently show weaker swimming skills and water safety knowledge.

Vulnerable groups include younger children, those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and students attending state schools.

Additionally, children with disabilities or medical conditions, those who have had negative water experiences, and kids who swim less than once every two weeks also show reduced swimming skills and water safety knowledge.

The World Health Organisation recommends that school-age children should learn basic swimming, water safety, and rescue skills.¹ However, previous studies indicate many children do not have equal access to opportunities to develop these essential abilities.

To better identify at-risk youth aged 12 years and younger, researchers examined international research, focusing on studies that actually tested kids' swimming abilities, instead of just asking kids to rate their own skills. Their analysis covered 14 studies from England, Australia, the US, Greece, and New Zealand.²

In addition to identifying gaps in swimming skills, researchers found notable gender differences. Girls generally demonstrate stronger water knowledge and skills compared to boys. This contrasts with earlier studies and may be linked to the methods researchers used to determine swimming skills. When kids are asked to rate their own swimming skills, they find that boys often overestimate their swimming abilities and underestimate their risk of drowning.

Further research is needed to understand how characteristics such as gender shape children's access to and experience of water education, alongside factors like parental influence, cultural background, and language.

Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death in children.³ In England, swimming is a compulsory part of primary education, however, almost 1 in 3 children do not meet the required minimum swimming standard by the time they leave primary school.⁴

Research Toolkit

What can we take away from this study?

KEY FINDINGS

UNEQUAL ACCESS: While learning to swim provides multiple health and safety benefits, not all children have equal opportunities to develop these essential skills.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISPARITIES: Children from low-income backgrounds show weaker aquatic competencies than their more affluent peers. It’s important for swim providers and governments to support vulnerable youth in achieving age-appropriate skills and to lower barriers to accessible swimming programmes.
SCHOOL RESOURCE GAPS: Children attending fee-paying schools generally show stronger swimming skills and better water safety knowledge. Resources available at both home and school may influence access to quality facilities, private lessons, and how often they practice.
INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMES: Children with pre-existing medical conditions or disabilities face higher drowning risks. Tailored programmes are essential to meet the unique needs of diverse learners, particularly those who are non-verbal or have multiple conditions.

WHAT ELSE

SAFE TEACHING: Teachers and providers should verify qualification requirements and engage in ongoing professional development with accredited organisations to ensure safe and inclusive environments for all learners.⁵
PRACTICE CONSISTENCY: Swimming ability improves with regular practice, so creating more opportunities for students to swim and learn about water safety, where possible, will benefit their development.
SOCIAL SUPPORT MATTERS: Educating parents and caregivers about the importance of swimming, adapting programmes for diverse communities, and working with local leaders to promote engagement could reduce barriers and enhance participation.
CUSTOMISED INSTRUCTION ENHANCES LEARNING: Tailored lessons, dividing classes by swimming ability, and specialised equipment could also help ensure lessons are personalised for different groups, considering differences in ability, interests, and readiness.