Water Safety

Water safety is an important part of a child's education, and even very young children can learn how to be safe near water.  The Canal River Trust has some useful information, fun activities and a great video "Hold hands, take two steps back" for you to watch with your child.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers/water-safety/water-safety-for-little-explorers

Top Tips

• Always hold your child's hand when by the water
• Make sure the brake is on the pram or pushchair when stationary
• Make sure to look out for other people on busy towpaths before stepping back

What to do if your child falls into the water

• There may be other people around, so shout for help as loudly as you can.
• If you have other children with you, make sure they are safe.
• Dial 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service. Explain your location clearly - use road names, bridge numbers, what3words and describe any landmarks.
• Lie down on the ground and try to reach them in the water. Use a tree branch, stick or an item of clothing to reach out to them. Don't get in the water yourself. If they have fallen in, it's likely that they won't be too far away from the edge.
• If you can, haul them out of the water. Do this by lying down on the ground and pulling them out by grabbing their clothes. Don't pull them out from a standing position as you are more likely to fall in the water yourself.
• If you can't get them out, lie on the ground and hold on to them until help arrives.