We speak to Clare about the journey she is on with her daughter to learn how to be safe around water:

My child is 2 years 8 months old and in regard to water awareness and skills, we are taking a ‘games’ orientated approach to her learning to survive in water.

She is very happy around water. She has little fear of it, and this is sometimes a problem when she isn’t aware of the depth or what it is like to be ‘in trouble’.

She can float well with armbands and has only been in the pool a few times with them and these have boosted her confidence so much.

She is working on getting out of the swimming pool on her own but isn’t there yet. She loves going to the pool and I am teaching her how to jump in safely, not running around the pool sides, walking slowly and using handrails to get down steps.

We are working on basic floating with a kick board and more recently with armbands. We are working on kicking skills both on the front and on her back using a froggy float.

I don’t think we will send her to organised lessons as I feel lucky to have the time to take her swimming and teach her what I can. Maybe when she is a bit older, we will take her, but I think, at this time, lessons can be a bit too rigid and perhaps instead would look at a games orientated water activity approach.