Inclusive swim programme launches free Summer Water Safety Pack for families of neurodiverse children
With Drowning Prevention Week approaching (14–21 June), NI’s leading inclusive swimming programme, Swimming Buddies, has unveiled its brand-new Summer Safety Pack specifically designed to support children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The free initiative aims to address the critical safety gap in aquatic environments for some of Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable children.
Drowning remains one of the leading causes of death for children under 14 on the autism spectrum. Neurodiverse children are 160 times more likely to drown than their peers. More than 50% of individuals with autism have a tendency to wander, often drawn to water for sensory regulation.
Swimming Buddies has developed this new Summer Safety Pack in collaboration with leading SEN educators and therapists. It includes visual communication tools and guidance for families to create personalised safety plans whether they are near the beach, pool, or on holiday abroad.
Sarah Jane Reynolds, Founder of Swimming Buddies said: “Our families are deeply aware of the risks. 91% of parents in our community have had to leave other aquatic services because their child’s needs weren’t understood. We created the Summer Safety Pack to offer not just resources, but reassurance, giving parents tools to protect and empower their children around water this summer whether they’re on our programme or not.
“As the proud mum of a wonderful autistic and neurodivergent daughter, I started this business almost a decade ago to try and offer a support network, water therapy and water safety education to families like ours.
"We are all still trying to overcome the barrier to inclusion across NI, so arming parents with tools that are practical, free, easy to understand and most importantly adaptable to each individual child’s needs is really important, particularly as families start heading towards coastal areas, getting the paddling pools or hot tubs out, or heading on holidays near pools and beaches this summer.”
With warmer months encouraging more outdoor and aquatic play, the risk of accidental drowning increases significantly.
Swimming Buddies hopes the new pack will become a summer essential for families of SEN children across Northern Ireland.
Summer Safety Packs are available for free to download from the Swimming Buddies website www.swimmingbuddies.co.uk