Preventing drowning of Welsh Children

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Preventing drowning of Welsh Children David
Walker Leisure Safety Information Manager RoSPA
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• Topics
• Scale of the problem
• Challenges for Wales
• Roles Responsibilities
• A balanced approach
• Summary Key conclusions

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• Drowning in the United Kingdom
• Average of 400 accidental drownings each year
• 662 water related fatalities in 2005
• 6,739 hospital episodes (98-04)
• For every 1 drowning there are 3 hospital
  episodes

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• Childhood drowning (0 -14 years)
• 3rd most common cause of accidental child death
• between 50-75 children drowning each year
• 2037 hospital episodes (98-04)
• 0-14 years have a significantly higher episode
  rate
• (3.1 - 4.2 episodes per 100,000 pop)

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• Wales 1990 2005
• 49 children drown in Wales (10 of total)
• 3 children drowning in Wales each year (on
  average)
• Unknown levels of hospital episodes

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• Wales 1990 2005

35
12
53
Infant
Teen
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• Wales 1990 -2005
• 2.5 year old males
• 7 year old females
• 16 female male ratio
• Double that of whole UK

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• Wales 1990 -2005

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Wales 1990 -2005
Independent
Supervision
10
Wales 1990 -2005
ve design intervention ? 20 overall 28 in
0-3 year olds
Environment ?
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Wales 1990 2005
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• Challenges
• Disproportion amount of males drowning
• Awareness of home drowning issues
• Environmental factors
• Coastal fatalities environment or behavioural?
• Annual holiday spike
• Sub fatality data (possibly lead the way?)

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• Roles Responsibilities
• Local solutions
• Targeted campaigns / materials
• Political ownership several departments
• Parental awareness

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• A balanced approach
• Drownings in the older age ranges are occurring
  in natural environments (53)
• Would risk education / awareness / water safety
  skills have a greater effect? (New Zealand)
• How do we protect those who may be vulnerable
  whilst balancing the environmental factors /
  right to take risk?

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• Conclusions
• Low number of child drowning per annum
• Unknown number of injuries (may be much higher)
• Limited conclusions can be made until we have
  reliable sub fatality data
• Female Male ratio needs addressing
• Awareness issues a key trend at home
• Remote or rural locations - public unaware /
  ignorant of risks presented?
• Example of New Zealand may good model for Wales