Child drownings in England rose by 85 per cent between 2019/20 and 2021/22, according to a report published on 13 July 2023 by the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) team at the University of Bristol, co-authored by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK). The figures were 20 drownings in 2019/20 and 37 in 2021/221.
The report covers 644 trauma-related child deaths over three 12-month periods from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2022. It is the first time data has been available classifying child drowning fatalities by ethnicity and deprivation. It shows the risk of drowning was 3.5 times higher for children of Black or Black British ethnicity than for White children, and 2 times higher for children from more deprived areas than from less deprived areas1.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Child drownings, 2019/20 | 20 |
| Child drownings, 2021/22 | 37 |
| Increase between the two periods | 85% |
| Trauma-related child deaths examined | 644 (1 April 2019 to 31 March 2022) |
| Drowning risk, Black or Black British children compared with White | 3.5 times higher |
| Drowning risk, children from more deprived areas compared with less deprived | 2 times higher |
RLSS UK said children from ethnic minority groups and those on low incomes are falling behind on statutory swimming and self-rescue outcomes in England, and the report states that the Government must urgently address inadequacies in the current approach to swimming education and class-based water safety1.
"It is essential that water safety education and experience for children should be taken forward regionally and nationally. There is a requirement to nationally revise and reform the current approach to swimming and water safety education. With the purpose of tackling the clear disparity for low-income and ethnically diverse children who are being missed by the current statutory efforts and are over-represented in child drowning deaths."
Professor Karen Luyt, Director of the National Child Mortality Database and Professor of Neonatal Medicine at the University of Bristol, said every child who dies as a result of drowning is a tragedy and a devastating loss for their families, and described drowning as a highly preventable public health challenge with mostly low-cost solutions, including barriers to control access to water hazards, supervision for younger children and teaching school-age children basic water competency1.
Why it matters for households
The figures identify which children carry the highest risk: those of Black or Black British ethnicity, and those from more deprived areas. The report links this to gaps in statutory swimming and water safety education, which RLSS UK says leave children from ethnic minority groups and low-income families behind on swimming and self-rescue outcomes1. Researchers and RLSS UK are urging families to speak to their children about water safety1. The report calls for national revision and reform of swimming and water safety education, and for greater involvement of the Government and relevant departments1. No new statutory requirement or change to school swimming provision is reported as having been announced.
What happens next
The report was published on 13 July 2023 and is available in full from the NCMD1. Its recommendations are directed at Government and education policy; no timetable for a response has been reported. Households wanting to follow official warnings and incident information can use the guide to staying informed.
