Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death for young children in Australia—and almost all these deaths are preventable.

For more than 25 years, the Keep Watch campaign has supported parents and carers of children aged 0 to 4 years with simple, practical strategies to reduce the risk of drowning. These actions are easy to follow and make a real difference when it comes to keeping children safe around water.

Between 2014 and 2024, 197 children under five drowned in Australia. Most of these incidents occurred in home swimming pools and bathtubs, with many happening in a matter of seconds during a brief lapse in supervision.

• 92 drowning deaths occurred in home swimming pools—41% were one-year-olds
• 37 deaths happened in bathtubs—more than half were under one
• Three-quarters of toddler drowning deaths involved accidental falls into water
• Nearly 40% of all deaths occurred in the summer months of December to February

Almost all these deaths were the result of a lack of active adult supervision.

For every drowning death, approximately eight more young children are hospitalised due to non-fatal drowning—many with long-term health impacts.

That’s why it’s so important to take action. The Keep Watch program encourages families to follow four key drowning prevention strategies:

1. Supervise – Always keep watch when children are in or near water.
2. Restrict – Use safety barriers and secure gates to prevent unsupervised entry.
3. Teach – Introduce children to water safety early through swimming and survival skills.
4. Respond – Learn CPR and first aid so you’re ready to act in an emergency.

When implemented together, these Keep Watch drowning prevention actions help to maximise child safety around water.

The Keep Watch program is proudly supported by the Department of Health WA.