26/3/26 Children Stop Swimming Lessons Too Early, Creating Water Safety Risk

26 March 2026

26/3/26

Life Saving Victoria (LSV) urges parents and carers to continue their children’s swimming lessons, with a decline in water safety skills creating major concerns for young people. 

A new article from LSV’s Research and Health Promotion team, published in The Conversation, states a significant number of children stop swimming lessons as early as the age of eight. 

This has contributed to children falling short of national swimming and water safety benchmarks by the time they finish primary school. 

The benchmarks state a 12-year-old child should be able to: 

  • Swim 50 metres without stopping or touching the bottom of the pool. 

  • Float or tread water for two minutes. 

  • Enter and exit the water safely in a range of environments (pool/beach/river). 

  • Understand and respect water safety rules. 

  • Dive, swim underwater and recover an object from deep water. 

  • Complete a survival swimming scenario in light clothing. 

  • Respond to a water-related emergency and perform a non-swimming rescue (throwing a rope or floating object/reaching with a pole).  

Teachers estimate nearly half of all Year 6 students are unable to swim 50 metres or tread water for two minutes, according to research from Royal Life Saving Australia. 

This shortfall leaves children particularly vulnerable in open water environments like beaches, lakes and rivers, which hold a range of hazards and challenges that aren’t present in swimming pools. 

LSV research has found a key risk where children’s swimming abilities are being overestimated. When parents reported their child aged between 10-12 as an “okay” swimmer, 65% of these children could not swim 50m in a pool. Likewise, 38% of parent-reported “good” swimmers and 21% of “excellent” swimmers could not swim this distance.  

Other factors include children stopping lessons at the end of summer “swimming weather”, financial constraints and conflicting schedules.  

Life Saving Victoria advocates for the following solutions: 

  • Swimming lessons provide clear information for parents and carers on national swimming and water safety benchmarks. 

  • Swimming and water safety education in open water environments. 

  • Improved access to swimming lessons for children and families that struggle with finances and transport. 

LSV Manager – Research and Evaluation Dr. Hannah Graefe co-authored the article, and stressed the importance of continuing swimming lessons. 

“Every child should have the opportunity to learn swimming and water safety skills, and be able to enjoy the water safely with their family and peers,” Dr. Graefe said. 

“Life Saving Victoria encourages parents and carers to continue their children’s swimming lessons for as long as possible. It may just save their life one day.” 

Read the full article in The Conversation here: Some kids stop swimming lessons too early. How well can your child actually swim? 

For further information contact the LSV Media team: media@lsv.com.au / 03 9676 6970.