Why Foundations Are Funding Adaptive Swim Instruction

Learning to swim and develop water safety skills is critical for everyone—especially for individuals with autism and other neurodivergent conditions, who face a significantly higher risk of drowning. As awareness of this risk grows, so does the need for adaptive swim instruction and swim instructors trained to support swimmers with special needs.

By funding adaptive swim lessons and specialized swim instructor training, charitable foundations and nonprofit organizations focused on drowning prevention, disability inclusion, and autism support can make a meaningful, life-saving impact in their communities.

Need for Specialized Water Safety Education

Let’s look at the facts:

  • Prevalence
    Approximately 1 in 31 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
  • Disproportionate Risk
    According to the National Autism Association, children with autism are a staggering 160 times more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers.
  • Wider Disability Impact
    It’s not just autism. Over three million children (4.3% of the under-18 population) in the United States alone have a disability, and many face increased risks around water.

These statistics paint a stark picture, highlighting a critical need for specialized water safety education. Traditional swim lessons, while valuable, often aren’t sufficient to meet the unique learning styles and sensory processing differences of children with disabilities.

They need an approach that understands their individual needs, adapting to their strengths and challenges to truly help them learn life-saving swim skills.

Your Foundation’s Power to Provide Life-Saving Swim Lessons

As a foundation, you have the incredible power to change these outcomes and provide life-saving opportunities. There are two ways in which you can significantly impact this situation.

  • Fund Swim Schools Offering Adaptive Lessons
    You can partner with local swim schools that offer adaptive swim programs or sensory-friendly swim lessons. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the staff at these centers possess specialized training. While some centers may offer “adaptive” lessons, their methods might not be as effective as needed. For genuine impact, look for schools whose instructors are trained in evidence-based methodologies like Swim Whisperers®. This level of specialized training goes beyond basic swim instruction to address the unique physical, cognitive, and sensory roadblocks many children with disabilities face.
  • Fund Adaptive Swim Instructor Training
    This option offers a more direct and often more impactful route. By funding specialized training for swim instructors, you know with 100% certainty that you are growing the ‘pool’ of highly skilled professionals who possess the specific techniques and understanding required to effectively teach children with disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. This investment creates a ripple effect, empowering instructors to positively impact countless lives over their careers.

Teaching this population demands a tailored approach and specific skills, which is why specialized training is so vital.

The outcome of such specialized training is a powerful ripple effect: happier children who gain essential life skills, more confident parents who feel assured their child is receiving the tailored support they need, and empowered swim instructors who possess the skills to confidently teach all abilities, ultimately leading to faster and more effective progress toward crucial swim skill benchmarks.

Foundations Making a Difference Today

We are honored to work with incredible foundations who are already making significant strides in this area. Organizations like Only Alpha Pools Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation, Autism Advocates, Eliza Hope, and the Teresa Danaway Foundation are investing in adaptive swim instructor training and seeing remarkable results.

Voices From the Foundations

2025-09-24T21:53:09-04:00

Through Autism Advocates Aquatism™️ initiative, we provide aquatic safety supports for the autism community. Water safety skills are pivotal because drowning is the leading cause of death for autistic children. We have partnered with Swim Angelfish to provide adaptive swim instruction and drowning prevention resources. Together we are saving lives in the autism community.

– Alecia Coleman, Founder/Executive Director, Autism Advocates

2025-09-24T21:52:38-04:00



When we first thought of starting a swim program, we knew we needed a sophisticated training that was focused specifically on safe swim for children with autism. Because of Swim Angelfish, we have been able to train over 15 instructors and provide swim lessons for over 200 children with autism. We are the only program in the Virginia Beach community that provides consistent swim lessons for children with autism at little to no cost to their families. None of this would be possible without the Swim Angelfish Training curriculum and supporting resources for children and parents.

– Kiley Elward, Director of Development for the Eliza Hope Foundation



2025-09-24T21:56:51-04:00

We are dedicated to creating safe, inclusive opportunities for children with autism and disabilities. Drowning prevention is a deeply personal and essential part of our mission. Partnering with Swim Angelfish allows us to provide access to adaptive swim programs that are specifically designed to meet our children’s unique needs. Together, we are turning awareness into action and helping save lives—one swim lesson at a time.

– Teresa Dannaway, Executive Director Tyler Dannaway Foundation

Their dedication is creating real change and building a safer future for thousands of children.

By investing in adaptive swim instructor training and inclusive water safety programs, these foundations are addressing a critical need that has too often been overlooked. Every contribution they make—whether funding training, raising awareness, or supporting families—translates into more children with autism, Down syndrome, and other disabilities learning to be safe and confident in the water.

The ripple effect of this work is profound. With every adaptive instructor trained and every child who gains water safety skills, we’re not only preventing tragedy—we’re also opening doors to joy, inclusion, independence, and freedom. It is a powerful reminder that when passionate people and organizations unite around a common cause, the impact can be life-changing.

Partner with Swim Angelfish to Maximize Your Impact

At Swim Angelfish, we are committed to making water safety accessible for everyone. We believe that empowering swim instructors with the right knowledge is the most sustainable way to reduce drowning rates among the disability population. To this end, we offer Swim Whisperers® training, a comprehensive program designed to equip instructors with proven, adaptive methodologies.

Our Swim Whisperers® training isn’t just another swim certification; it’s a methodology developed by experienced Occupational and Physical Therapists. Instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers method understand the physical, cognitive, and sensory nuances that make learning to swim a unique journey for individuals with disabilities. Swim instructors certified in the Swim Whisperers methodology don’t just teach swimming; they adapt it, ensuring effective, safe, and transformative learning experiences for every child.

By partnering with Swim Angelfish, foundations like yours can fund Swim Whisperers® training for instructors, knowing your investment directly translates into life-saving swim skills for children who need it most.

We offer group rates that provide significant discounts off the total cost of training, allowing your funds to go further and maximize the value of your philanthropic efforts.

Take Action: Be a Part of the Solution

The statistics are sobering, but the solution is within reach. By investing in funding grants for specialized adaptive swim instruction, you can directly contribute to improved swim skill acquisition and reducing the tragic rates of drowning among children with disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. Join us in making water safety a reality for every child.

Ready to learn more about how your foundation can fund Swim Whisperers® training for swim instructors through our group rates?

Contact us today to discuss partnership opportunities and discover how you can maximize the impact of your funds.

Ailene Tisser, MA, PT, Founder

Ailene Tisser, a pediatric Physical Therapist with over 30 years of experience and co-founder of Swim Angelfish® and the Swim Whisperers® method, specializes in aquatic therapy and adaptive swim for children with special needs. Trained in NDT, DIR/Floortime, and certified as an Autism Specialist and Primitive Reflex Specialist she fosters water safety, confidence, and independence in her young clients. Ailene is also passionate about educating aquatic professionals, setting a standard of excellence for adaptive aquatics training and professional development.

Cindy Freedman, MOTR, Founder

Cindy, MS, OTR/L is an occupational and recreational therapist with over 30 years of experience specializing in pediatrics and aquatics. Driven by a passion for helping children with special needs reach their full potential, Cindy co-founded Swim Angelfish, an organization dedicated to providing adaptive swim and aquatic therapy services as well as professional training. Her expertise in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics, coupled with her love for water and experience as a national champion diver, has enabled her to make a profound impact on the lives of countless children. Cindy is certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES, and shows an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children with special needs.