Background
Swimming and water safety skills are an essential component of child drowning prevention in Australia, yet participation in lessons has declined due to COVID-19 disruptions, cost-of-living pressures, and structural inequities. The New South Wales (NSW) Government implemented the First Lap program, providing two AU$100 vouchers in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 to children aged 3–6 years to increase participation and improve water safety awareness. This research evaluates the program’s reach, effectiveness, economic and industry impacts, and barriers to participation. It is aligned with the children, aquatic facilities, and population Australian Water Safety Strategy components and the swimming and water safety skills national imperative.
Methods
Multiple mixed-methods designs were used, including surveys of swim school (n=100) and parents/carers (n>14,000), cross-sectional and cohort analyses of voucher registration data (n=250,000), cost–benefit analysis, and thematic analysis of over 4,000 qualitative responses. Statistical techniques included logistic regression and proportional reporting ratios to assess associations between demographic factors, program uptake, and knowledge outcomes.
Results
The program demonstrated substantial reach and 77.7% voucher redemption, alongside increased enrolments and provider income. Economic evaluation showed strong returns, ranging from AU$1.40 to AU$2.23 per dollar invested. The program also contributed to improvements in parental water safety knowledge, particularly regarding supervision, although gains were uneven. Lower uptake and knowledge gains were observed among families from non-English-speaking backgrounds, lower socioeconomic areas, and those with children with disabilities. Key barriers included cost, limited availability of lessons (especially in regional areas), parental time constraints, COVID-19 impacts, and perceptions about lesson importance. Prior participation strongly predicted voucher redemption.
Conclusions
The First Lap program was an effective and cost-efficient initiative that increased participation in swimming lessons, supported the aquatic industry, and may enhance parent/carer awareness. However, inequities highlight the need for targeted strategies addressing affordability, accessibility, and culturally appropriate engagement to improve outcomes for priority populations.

Background: Tasmania’s waterways support high levels of recreation and tourism, yet the State records among the highest drowning rates in Australia. Swimming competency is widely recognised as an important component of drowning prevention; however, evidence of swimming and water safety competencies of Tasmanians has been largely anecdotal. Moreover, previous research has lacked focus on Tasmania’s specific drowning prevention requirements and nuances. This research aimed to explore the swimming competency of Tasmanians and appropriate actions for drowning prevention.

Methods: A state-wide survey of Tasmanian adults, accompanied by focus groups/interviews with water safety stakeholders.

Results: Of the 703 adults surveyed, only 14% believed they could swim the national benchmark distance of 400 metres: below the target of 50% of Australians aged 17+ years. Self-rated ability often poorly aligned with measurable distances and benchmarks. Perceived swimming and water safety competency of participants’ children (n=231) was also low, with only 1% reported to meet age-appropriate national benchmarks. Focus groups/interviews identified eight interconnected factors contributing to declining swimming competency and confidence among children, including inconsistent programs and assessment measures, parental perceptions on the importance of swimming and water safety education, limited access to lessons (particularly for low socioeconomic groups), workforce constraints, and the absence of central coordination for water safety. Broader system-level challenges included duplication of effort, and missed opportunities for collaboration across education, community, and aquatic sectors.

Conclusions: Establishing a state-wide, representative council responsible for Tasmanian water safety coordination would strengthen coordination and accountability for drowning prevention. Priorities include: the integration of national benchmarks into more aquatic programs; improving access and affordability of swimming and water safety lessons; greater inclusivity for multicultural communities, people with disabilities, and older adults; supporting the aquatic workforce; and statewide drowning data collection. Collectively, these findings support systemic reform and a coordinated approach to drowning prevention in Tasmania.

Swimming and water safety capability remains a national priority in the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030, particularly the goal of ensuring “swimming and water safety skills for all”. In 2024, the Northern Territory Government responded to longstanding inequities in access to aquatic education by introducing a permanent, fully funded Swimming in Schools program for all students in Years 1–6 across government and non-government schools. After more than 25 years of inconsistent access, the initiative sought to remove financial and geographic barriers while improving drowning prevention outcomes for Territory children.
Commencing in January 2025, the $3 million annual program is delivered through a strategic partnership between the NT Department of Education and Royal Life Saving Society Northern Territory. The model funds transport, pool entry and qualified instruction, enabling equitable participation across urban, regional and remote communities. The program also supports national competency benchmarking and systematic data collection aligned to the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework.
Early implementation has demonstrated increased participation, strengthened collaboration between government and industry, and improved access for regional and remote students. Lessons learned highlight the importance of leadership, cross-sector partnerships, flexible delivery models and rapid implementation planning. The Northern Territory approach provides an original and scalable example of government-supported aquatic education reform, with implications for strengthening drowning prevention policy and practice nationally.

Australia's water safety investment is producing strong results in early childhood. The 2025 National Drowning Report shows deaths in under-5s fell 21% below the 10-year average, and children aged 5 to 14 record the lowest drowning rates of any age group. The opportunity now is to extend early learn‑to‑swim gains into adolescence, where drowning risk increases almost tenfold between ages 10 and 20 (Royal Life Saving Australia, 2025). Many children exit learn‑to‑swim between ages 7 and 9, and by Year 6, around half cannot meet the national swimming benchmark. This “missing middle” marks the gap between learn‑to‑swim and continued participation, where swimming competence and confidence can decline without ongoing, structured engagement (Peden et al., 2021; Royal Life Saving Australia, 2022).

Most children learn to swim in community swim schools between ages 3 and 9. Club and sport pathways typically begin from age 10. The missing middle sits between these stages. Swimming Australia's Swim Well strategy aims to keep all Australians connected to swimming for life. ASSA represents the swim school sector that builds the foundational competence Swim Well's Sport Growth action plan depends on. Through a partnership with purpose, both organisations are developing a framework for "functional swimming": structured, social, community-based swimming beyond learn-to-swim but accessible to young people who may never pursue high-performance pathways. This presentation shares the thinking behind this partnership and how deliberate transition pathways from swim schools into participative programs can help close the missing middle.

Competent, confident and consistent swimmers are safer in the water for life. At the midpoint of the Water Safety Strategy 2030, the imperatives to boost skills, localise efforts and strengthen cross-sector coordination present a clear opportunity for new approaches. This partnership offers a practical model for keeping Australians connected to swimming beyond learn-to-swim.

CHANGING THE AQUATIC SURVIVAL DEFAULT DECISION FROM SWIM TO FLOAT?
Bruce Hopkins - Float to Survive

Background
From my observations when a person ends up in deep water their ‘default' decision is to attempt to swim themselves out of danger. When in fact chances of survival are far greater if their ‘default’ decision is to just float in a position that keeps their head/upper airway above the water.

Methodology
Instruct participants in floating positions Back/Supine position, Vertical/Treading water position and Stomach/Prone position.
Observe proficiency levels of participants in these floating positions and their ability to actively transition between positions.
Seek feedback on participants preferred floating position.

Observations/Feedback
Back Float/Supine position
Teaching of back floating focused rigidly on instructions to tilt the head right back, having ears in water, looking skyward with toes/feet breaking the water surface. These instructions reduce the likelihood to self-rescue or be rescued as the person’s ability to hear (ears in water) and see (looking directly skyward) are lost with feet/toes not required to breathe.

Vertical Float /Treading water
Participants demonstrated this position competently and whilst treading water commanded greater energy, movement and dexterity than the back float it also provided greater opportunity than the back float to self-rescue or gain attention/respond to a rescuer.

Stomach Float/Prone position
This position also provided greater opportunity than the back float to self-rescue or gain attention/respond to a rescuer and proved popular with participants due to its similarity with a passive breaststroke.

Conclusion
Floating is a skill, easily learnt and practiced, that is critical for survival in all aquatic environments.
Structured Learn to Swim Lessons should review current curriculum to include:
Controlled challenges that focus on decision making, self rescue and drowning prevention skills.
Real life scenarios that teach interaction with danger, not the avoidance of danger.

Queensland’s extensive coastline and waterways make water safety education essential. With over 880,000 students across 1,797 schools, there is a significant opportunity to build lifelong skills. However, more than 48% of children leave primary school without meeting national swimming and water safety benchmarks. While most primary schools offer some form of swimming program, fewer than half provide access across all year levels. Cost remains a major barrier, with many families unable to afford lessons and some students never participating.

Recognising schools as the most effective setting to reach all children, Royal Life Saving Society Queensland (RLSSQ) has developed flexible, scalable water safety programs. These integrate in-water and classroom learning and align with the National Swimming and Water Safety Framework and Department of Education requirements. The programs are designed to progressively build skills while allowing delivery to be adapted to school context, location, and available resources.

Traditional program models can be difficult for schools to coordinate due to cost, logistics, and time constraints. Opt-out rates remain a challenge, and recent changes to school funding structures have increased the need for more flexible delivery approaches. RLSSQ’s programs require minimal equipment and can be adapted to a range of aquatic environments, improving accessibility. Implementation has shown increased participation, with schools favouring models that are cost-effective and curriculum-aligned.

Flexible, school-based water safety education is critical to improving student outcomes. RLSSQ’s approach provides practical solutions to common barriers, supporting increased participation and helping more young people develop essential, life-saving skills.