P-05-868 Water Safety/Drowning Prevention and the effects of Cold Water Shock to be taught in all Schools in Wales
P-05-868 Water Safety/Drowning Prevention and the effects of Cold Water Shock to be taught in all Schools in Wales
P-05-868 – Water
Safety/Drowning Prevention and the effects of Cold Water Shock to be taught in
all Schools in Wales
This
petition was submitted by Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership having
collected 394 signatures online and 502 on paper – a total of 896 signatures.
Text of Petition
We
call on the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to include
- Water Safety/Drowning Prevention and the effects of cold-water shock to be
taught on the national curriculum in Wales.
In
2016 we saw the launch of the first ever water safety strategy in the UK, which
aims to reduce water related fatalities by 50% by 2026. Collaboration,
awareness, education and prevention are the main focuses. Wales needs to
respond in support.
The
families of Cameron Comey, Luke Somerfield, Kieran Bennett-Leefe, Robert
Mansfield and Jem Pendragon all support this petition in memory of their sons
lost to water.
Additional Information
Several
hundred adults and children drown accidentally every year in the UK &
Ireland, and Wales - having a considerable number of rivers, lakes and a wild
coastline is not immune. Education and prevention are key to safeguarding our
communities from needless drowning.
This
petition also has it's aims focused on healthy, educated interactions with our
many open waterways in Wales, by promoting events nationally and locally where
young people and the public can access organized events where they engage with
social, active and safe events with clubs/organisations concerned with water
based activities.
We
also recognise that local authority cuts to swimming accessibility for all
pupils (through central government pressures) and a new Welsh Baccalaureate on
water safety is too wide a gap to ensure a consistent education message for
all. Wales has three broad strategies (our Healthy future, Building a brighter
future and Well-being of Future Generations) and have links to injury
prevention and, therefore, to reducing drowning.
This
petition is supported by many partners including; five families of young men
lost to drowning in West Wales, Ferryside Inshore Lifeboat, Jonathan Edwards
MP, South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, Rebecca Ramsey (campaigner for
England water safety education), All Wales Water Safety Group, Mid & West
Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Simon Hart MP, Carmarthen Town Council, The
Coracle & Netsmans Association, Gwendraeth Valley Paddlers Canoe Club,
Ammanford Police Station, Carmarthen Boat Club, Brecon Mountain Rescue Team,
Llansteffan Coastguard, Angela Burns AM, Carmarthen Bay Ferries, Llandysul
Paddlers Canoe Centre, to name a few.
Status
This
petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on
17/11/2020.
The
Committee considered an update on the petition and, in light of the planned
launch of a Wales Water Safety Strategy and because the Welsh Government’s
position on the non-prescriptive nature of the new Curriculum for Wales is
clear, the Committee agreed that there is likely to be little further which
could be achieved on the petition at this time. The Committee agreed to close
the petition and thank the petitioner.
Full
details of the consideration of this petitions by the committee and related
documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.
It
was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 02/04/2019.
Assembly Constituency and
Region
- Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
- Mid and West Wales
Further information
Business type: Petition
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Complete
First published: 13/03/2019