The Victorian Water Safety Certificate (VWSC) is a Government Initiative that provides specific water safety, rescue, swim survival skills your child should have by the end of their primary education.
This VWSC certificate is designed to provide children with the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe around water. Here at Surrey Park Swimming, we ensure our Level 8 swimmers who graduate can achieve all the criteria for the Victorian Water Safety Certificate. Incredibly, our swim school has one of the highest success rates for students achieving and meeting the criteria to successfully pass in Victoria.
Here are just some of the many benefits of your child completing this qualification:
1. Increased confidence and improved technique
One of the first benefits you’ll notice from your child achieving the Victorian Water Safety Certificate is your child’s confidence and technique in the water is significantly boosted. With the training and dedication involved in earning the certificate, children build a sense of accomplishment, making it easier to be more comfortable in various water conditions.
Through structured lessons, children develop stronger swimming techniques. The certificate helps with:
- Refining basic swimming strokes
- Improving breathing techniques
- Building stamina
- Safer, more efficient swimming
2. Learn essential water safety skills
The VWSC also ensures your child knows vital water safety skills necessary for surviving in and around water. This knowledge helps children develop consistent safety habits they can implement in their swimming that stay with them as they grow older and become more independent swimmers.
By running through survival sequences, this certificate gives your child the ability and knowledge to respond appropriately and calmly in emergency situations. These skills include:
- Safe entry and exit techniques: Understand how to safely enter and exit pools and other bodies of water.
- Floating and treading water: Assists your child to stay afloat until help arrives if they find themselves in deep water or dangerous circumstances unexpectedly.
- Recognising water hazards: Learn how to identify dangerous situations, like rip currents, sudden changes in water depth or when someone needs help.
- Basic rescue skills: Learn how to assist others in distress and how to seek assistance, which empowers children to act responsibly and safely if emergency situations arise.
3. Readiness for advanced swimming and sports
In completing the training required to achieve the VWSC, children are better prepared and more confident to pursue advanced swimming techniques and explore other aquatic sports.
Receiving a certificate confirming they have basic foundational skills can give your child the desire to seek more challenging sporting goals. Having this increased confidence in their abilities can motivate them to seek competitive swim programs, which is a great way to build fitness, teamwork, and a lifelong love for swimming. Gaining the knowledge of important water safety skills to back up their abilities means they can focus on building skill and developing a positive, competitive relationship with the sport.
4. Peace of mind for parents
Seeing your child complete the VWSC and run through various emergency situations in the water can help give you peace of mind. Knowing your child is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to stay safe in and around water can be a great relief as they grow older and swim more independently. Whether you’re at your local pool, beach, or local lake, you can remain at ease knowing they are prepared to handle water-related risks and emergencies responsibly.
5. Community benefits
It’s important to encourage children to complete the VWSC, as it can contribute to the overall safety and wellbeing of your community. If more children are trained in water safety, it’s more likely that water accidents can be reduced. Being safer in the water and equipped with this knowledge, children are more likely to engage in safe swimming practices that set a positive example for others.
The Victorian Water Safety Certificate is more than just a recognition of swimming ability – it’s a comprehensive educational initiative that equips children with essential life-saving skills. By encouraging water safety education in primary aged kids, you are ensuring your child is ready to enjoy water activities safely, now and into the future. Achieving this certificate allows you and your child to have reduced fear in the water and increase your enjoyment of any and all water activities.
With Surrey Park Swimming, you not only book your child into lessons that have a strong technique focus but lessons that also cover those essential water safety skills needed to keep your child safe around water. Start or continue your journey today!
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