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

Completed

 

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.

 

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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