Kids Alive Water Safety Pack Evaluation

Thank you to those Swim Schools who participated in the evaluation of the Kids Alive water safety pack. Professor Robyn Jorgensen from the University of Canberra has summarised the key findings of the research.

Key Findings

There is unequivocal support for the Kids Alive water safety pack. At the completion of the survey, respondents were asked if they thought the resources were worthwhile. Similar to the interim evaluation, a resounding 96% responded positively to the question, suggesting that the resources have been received well by the targeted audiences and that the investment into the resources was very sound.

This support was endorsed when 97% of the respondents supported the continuation of the Kids Alive water safety pack. This data suggests that the resources have been very well received by the participants – across all sectors of the distribution cohort. The packs have been used in the contexts of swimming lessons and formal lessons in Early Childhood Education or school settings.

• Many of the sites have written the resources into their formal programs (31%) or intend to write them into their programs in the future (26%). Many of the participants in this evaluation (e.g. swim schools) differ in the use of the resources and so plan differently from those in the formal school settings.
• 86% of the respondents indicated that they had communicated with parents on water safety and a further 11% were planning to do so in the future. This is an excellent outcome as it suggests that the resources are triggering vital conversations between educators and families of young children in relation to water safety.
• 77% of the respondents indicated the resources were useful or very useful in engaging learners.
• Almost half of the respondents (48%) indicated that they used the books often or frequently, suggesting that the books were of great value to the teachers.
• 94% of the interviewees reported that they were easily able to use the resources and with most interviewees indicating that the resources were very valuable in their contexts. Of the interviewees, almost ¾ (73%) of the group indicated that they saw the resources as highly valuable in their work and contexts with 93% of them indicating that they will be using the resource in the future.
• As with the online survey, the interviews also found the water safety message was being heard by the children with 93% indicating the children were learning the water safety messages.