KIDS MUST BE WATERPROOF

SWIM schools are busy places most days of the week.

Among all of those babies and toddlers holding their breath for the first time, held by a teacher but more often than not a parent who is there with them in the water, there will be future swim stars.

But not all will become champions. Indeed, very few will – and swim schools do not aim to churn out squadrons of elite performers.

They are there to save lives and give parents peace of mind, but being businesses they also have to make money.

All children who go the distance to competency will be able to swim and more importantly, have the confidence at an early age to save themselves if they fall into a pool, a canal or a stream.

An observer will notice one important thing at a swim school.

Around the pool are parents gazing intently to ensure their child progresses.

It can be a slow process but it really is a matter of life or death.

Those parents can afford the lessons. Usually they are competent swimmers themselves.

They know this is a skill their child must have if they are to survive in our Gold Coast environment.

But not everyone has the financial ability to take their offspring to a swim school.

Therein lies the dilemma. Swimming is a vital skill in Queensland but it is being overlooked in the education dollar.

Many schools do all they can to try to ensure children can swim but two key elements are missing – both at a government level.

The Government is prepared to give a hand with buses and lane hire, but policy becomes a grey area when it comes to provision of actual lessons. That’s at the principal’s discretion, whatever that means.

As for setting minimum standards for kids to reach, there is no policy.

That has to change.

The point has to be made though that parents must take responsibility for their children in the home environment.

They can’t just hope their kids will somehow absorb sufficient swimming skills to allow them to survive in a backyard pool accident.

They can’t just assume their own pool gate is shut, or that someone down the road will watch their children if they visit a friend’s place and end up jumping in a pool.

But at the same time, many families can’t afford the cost of ongoing lessons, especially in tough times.

That is where the State Government must recognise it has a social contract with Queenslanders.

Out of all the states, ours is the one where wonderful weather and ideal conditions in summer mean people are most likely to want to go for a swim in a pool, the ocean, a lake or stream.

And yet Queensland is the only state without an official, comprehensive program to ensure all children leave primary school knowing how to swim and having met criteria for survival.

State Cabinet is meeting on the Gold Coast today.

This is one item that surely demands urgent attention.