Protests force swim rules update

Parents said the old rules discriminated against large families

New guidelines have been issued after parents complained that rules stopped them bringing young children swimming.

The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) says revised rules are "less stringent" and urge pools to carry out their own risk assessments.

The revision followed complaints over a rule banning parents from taking more than one child under four swimming.

Campaigners are "disappointed" that this recommendation remains in the updated version, however.

The guidelines still recommend this rule for an adult pool but only where a child cannot swim and is not wearing armbands.

They also suggest one adult should supervise up to two children only aged four to seven.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which also worked on the new guidelines, said the "action plan" addressed complaints made by Carolyn Warner of the Right to Swim Campaign.

'Crazy rules'

Mrs Warner established her campaign group after she and her sister were unable to swim with their young children at a local leisure centre.

Parents have to take responsibility for their own children, lifeguards can't replace parents Linda Bishop-Bailey ISRM

Parents argued that the rules discriminated against large families and single parents.

Mr Blair told the Commons the guidelines had given rise to a "complete nonsense".

A DCMS spokesman said: "The guidance had been interpreted on a blanket basis but now swimming pools will carry out their own risk assessments".

He said if, for example, a pool had a large number of lifeguards and high-tech cameras it may allow a higher ratio of children per adult.

He added it had sought to "strike a balance" between giving children the right to swim and allowing that activity to take place in a safe environment.

It still means I won't be able to swim with both my children Carolyn Warner Right to Swim

An Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) helpline has also been set up for people turned away from pools.

However, Mr Warner said the new document "was not worth the paper its written on".

"It just muddies the waters from the government's own guidelines and makes it blooming complicated," she said.

She said although they were only guidelines, the fact it was in "black and white" meant many pools would follow it.

"It still means I won't be able to swim with both my children," she said. "As a parent you make your own risk assessments every day and should make your own judgements."

Mrs Warner added that the Right to Swim website got "over 700 hits a day" from concerned parents.

'Common sense'

However, Linda Bishop-Bailey, ISRM acting director of operations, said the new guidelines were "common sense" and there to help pool managers.

"The younger they [children] are the more closely they need to be looked at. Don't take your eyes off them."

She said only 4% of drownings in 2002 in the UK were in swimming pools, whereas in other countries the figure was much higher.

She added that lifeguards were there to ensure safety and for emergencies but not to look after children individually.

"Parents have to take responsibility for their own children, lifeguards can't replace parents," she said.