Water Safety for All Abilities: Teaching Resources & Adaptive Toolkit​

Download Water Safety Toolkit

Every child, regardless of ability, deserves protection in and around water. Yet, for children with conditions like Autism, Anxiety, Down Syndrome, and others, a tailored approach to water safety is crucial. ​

Our Water Safety For All Abilities Teaching Resources and Adaptive Toolkit acknowledges these unique needs and abilities, offering specialized practices to prevent accidents and promote inclusion. With a focus on practical strategies and empowerment, our toolkit ensures that all children can enjoy the water safely.

4 Adaptive Water Safety Tips​

Our aim is to support existing Water Safety initiatives by offering extra layers of protection with these adaptive safety tips for special needs swimmers. The Swim Angelfish Adaptive Water Safety Tips are based on the NDPA Layers of Protection. Find out how you can help swimmers with special needs become safer in, near and around water. This advice is intended to be used to complement not replace the 5 Layers of Protection.​

Ritual and Routine

Most of our special needs swimmers rely heavily on set routines. Use this to your advantage and create safer routines for transitioning in and out of the water. Implementing these tips will give you a few extra seconds needed to avoid a dangerous situation.

Monitor and Intervene

Close monitoring is crucial for autistic and special needs individuals due to their heightened sensory seeking behaviors, such as breath-holding and repetitive submersion. We provide tips to help you monitor and intervene when necessary.

Rescue and Equipment

Neurotypical and neurodivergent swimmers alike need to understand how to use lifejackets and rescue tubes. It is imperative to familiarize everyone with rescue equipment. This will give them the skills and knowledge necessary to stay safe if a water accident were to happen.

Adaptive Swim Skills

Swim lessons are a layer of protection recommended by all water safety organizations. However, some swimmers with cerebral palsy, down syndrome, anxiety, autism, and sensory or motor difficulties may need more time and a different approach when learning to swim. Our adaptive swim tips will help to improve a swimmer’s competency, confidence, and safety around water.

Featured Water Safety Blogs​

Drowning Facts

By familiarizing yourself with drowning facts, you can enhance your risk awareness and better equip yourself for drowning prevention. Here we share some facts from NDPA, CDC and other organizations.

  • More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death. Source CDC

  • For children ages 5–14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes. Source CDC

  • Learning to swim can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% for 1-4 year olds who take formal swim lessons. Source NDPA

  • Conditions such as autism and heart conditions are associated with a higher risk of drowning. source. Source CDC

  • For children with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism, the risk of drowning is more than double that of a typically developing child. Source Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Our Drowning Prevention Partners

Collaborating with drowning prevention organizations allows us to raise awareness and actively contribute to preventing tragic accidents.