Changes in parent/carer water safety awareness during a swimming lesson voucher programme implementation in New South Wales, Australia
Hanum, Corista Karamina, Peden, Amy E., Mead, Edwina, Angell, Blake, and MacNiven, Rona (2025) Changes in parent/carer water safety awareness during a swimming lesson voucher programme implementation in New South Wales, Australia. Injury Prevention. (In Press)
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Abstract
Background: Water safety awareness and swimming lesson participation can reduce drowning risk among children in Australia. Providing financial support for swimming lesson participation could additionally impact knowledge and awareness among parents/carers of the importance of learning to swim as a water safety strategy. Between 2021 and 2023, the New South Wales First Lap voucher programme provided preschool-aged children (ages 3-6 years) with two $A100 vouchers, one per financial year, for swimming lessons. This study aimed to examine parent/carer changes in water safety knowledge and awareness during this programme implementation period. Methods: This cohort study used survey responses from parents/carers who applied for First Lap vouchers and completed the survey in two consecutive years of the programme. Parents/carers were asked about their knowledge and awareness of five evidence-based strategies to help keep children safe around water, selecting 'yes' or 'no' in response to each strategy. Multinomial regressions examined changes in knowledge and awareness of parents, adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Results: Parents/carers who spoke a non-English language at home were less likely to have or acquire knowledge on water safety strategies. Conversely, parents/carers living in regional/remote areas, having younger children or whose children had previously participated in swimming lessons were more likely to have or acquire water safety knowledge. Conclusion: The increases in knowledge of supervision as a water safety strategy in some population subgroups in this cohort of parents/carers who applied for First Lap programme vouchers suggest that the programme may have contributed to this favourable change.
| Item ID: | 88542 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1475-5785 |
| Keywords: | Child, Cohort Study, Drowning, Education, Public Health, Supervision |
| Copyright Information: | © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. |
| Date Deposited: | 04 May 2026 23:20 |
| FoR Codes: | 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420604 Injury prevention @ 100% |
| SEO Codes: | 20 HEALTH > 2004 Public health (excl. specific population health) > 200408 Injury prevention and control @ 100% |
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