Be safe around water

Water Safety Scotland, in partnership with Education Scotland, has launched its first instalment of free water safety educational resources for schools and practitioners in Scotland.

Committed to reducing accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026, Water Safety Scotland introduced the initiative to provide a consistent level of learning across Scotland to equip Scottish youth with the knowledge and skills required to reduce water-based accidents.

Starting from children aged three, it will instruct and inform young people up to the age of 18 and has been endorsed by a wealth of supporting partner agencies.

Scheduled for a staggered release over the next nine months, the first set of lessons was released

on April 26 and can be accessed via Education Scotland’s National Hub or through the Water Safety Scotland website.

Linked to Water Safety Scotland’s Water Safety Code, which was created to help people enjoy Scotland’s waterways as safely as possible, it follows three key pieces of advice:

• Stop and think, spot the dangers

• Stay together, stay close

• In an emergency, call 999

Laura Erskine, Water Safety Scotland education subgroup chairperson.