Water Safety Scotland (WSS) has launched a brand new education source for schools across the country.

In partnership with education Scotland, WSS has launched the first instalment of its free water safety educational resources for schools and practitioners in Scotland.

WSS, which is committed to reducing accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026, introduced the initiative to provide a consistent level of learning across Scotland’s educational institutions in a bid to help provide Scottish youth with the knowledge and skills required to reduce water-based accidents.

Laura Erskine, Education Subgroup Chair for WSS said: “On average, there are 96 water-related fatalities in Scotland each year. We aim to reduce the number of deaths from accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026 by driving a generational change in water safety in Scotland.

“We want to encourage safe and responsible access to Scotland’s waterways, which can be a positive and enjoyable experience for young people when coupled with appropriate risk awareness and education.

“We hope that this information will reach as many children and young people as possible.”

Community Safety Minister Ash Regan said: “I would like to thank Education Scotland, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Water Safety Scotland for their excellent collaborative work in creating this fantastic resource which will help to educate children about keeping themselves and their friends safe around water.

“This is a vital part of the work being taken forward across Scotland to improve public safety, including the recent launch of the Water Safety Action Plan drawn up by the Scottish Government and a range of key partners.”

WSS aims to roll out the next phase of this initiative in late May and will continue this during the rest of 2022.