NATIONAL WATER SAFETY REPORT 2024
Australia's Comprehensive Swimming Competency Assessment for parents of children aged 5–12 in Australia.
National Benchmarks and Key Insights
A Visual Snapshot of Who’s Swimming, Who’s Falling Behind, and Why It Matters
This report uses the National Water Safety Framework, developed by Royal Life Saving Australia which provides nationally endorsed benchmarks for swimming and water safety by age group. It serves as the foundation for programs and policy aimed at reducing drowning and ensuring all Australians are equipped with essential aquatic competencies.
How many kids are in swimming lessons?
Why This Matters For Every Australian Child
Australia is facing a growing aquatic safety challenge
Through its delivery of swimming lessons to schools, BlueFit surveyed 7,756 students in 2024 across a diverse mix of Australian schools. It is important to note that these survey respondents are students of state and independent schools who place large bookings for their students as part of the school curriculum.
Drowning Risk
Drowning deaths increase tenfold between ages 10 and 20, aligning with the observed decline in competency during this period.
False Perceptions of Readiness
Parents often withdraw children from lessons prematurely, believing early foundational skills are sufficient.
Access Barriers
Government swim voucher redemption dropped significantly in 2024 despite increased enrolments, indicating structural or awareness barriers.
Long-Term Implications
Without consistent participation, most students will not achieve the required aquatic proficiency to be safe and confident around water by adulthood.
Understanding The Swimming Safety Journey
Key Patterns Across Age Groups and What They Reveal
This data is separate from our swim school enrolment cohort of more than 50,000 students attending weekly. We believe this offers an independent, representative snapshot of how Australian children are tracking against national swimming standards.
AGE 6
A Promising Start, But Early Gaps Emerge
A
30%
of 6 year olds did not meet the minimum swimming standard for their age.
Of those,
65%
were not in regular swimming lessons.
While over half of 6 year olds are engaged in lessons, nearly one-third are already behind. Early intervention remains critical to address these initial gaps before they widen in later years. Children under the age of 6 are at a significant risk of drowning and should all possess basic swimming skills.
Ages 7 to 11
Declining Participation, Slipping Standards
Almost
9%
of students remained below the benchmark for age 6.
A
55%
had not yet reached the Acquiring stage of water safety which becomes the minimum standard for them at age 12.
Only
33%
of the students in this group were enrolled in swimming lessons.
It appears that a substantial number of children plateau or fall behind during this stage, despite appearing to have achieved early competency. We also see a progressive decline in swimming lesson participation between ages 7 and 11. This is likely due to parents' perception that children have achieved a "satisfactory" level early on, often based on beginner benchmarks learned early in learn to swim or the ongoing costs of lessons.
Age 12
A Critical Competency Cliff
A
36%
12 year olds were below the expected national standard.
A
92%
of those who were behind were not in regular swimming lessons, making it unlikely they will reach the required standard by age 17.
Only
26%
of students were considered fully competent swimmers, meeting the national benchmark for age 17.
This age marks a sharp drop in both participation and proficiency. With limited time remaining before adulthood, most students are not on track to become water safe by the end of high school.
Government Voucher Redemption Trends
Falling Support Despite Rising Enrolment
In 2024, redemption of government funded swim vouchers dropped significantly across nearly all programs, even though swim enrolments grew compared to 2023.
The NSW Active Kids voucher program remained the most robust and widely utilised in the post-COVID recovery period due the ease of access however we have seen other states improve the amount and accessibility of their swimming funding.
Still, overall redemption rates declined, suggesting reduced accessibility, lower awareness, or administrative friction.
Government support mechanisms are crucial but underutilised. Addressing barriers to voucher access could help re-engage families and reverse declining participation in critical age groups. We also encourage government agencies to work with Learn to Swim operators to make it easier to administer these programs for both the families and businesses.
How The Swim Safety Check Helps
This quick tool shows parents whether their child is on track with essential water safety skills - and what to do if they’re not.
For children aged 5–12 · No login required · Takes 2 minutes
Identifies your child’s swim risk level
Takes less than 2 minutes
Gives age-based results & suggestions
