Child Bereavement UK has joined forces with the UK’s drowning prevention charity, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), in a bid to address the devastating impact drowning has on families and communities.

Around 700 people drown in the UK and Ireland every year and the RLSS UK aims to prevent drowning through water safety education. Through its trading subsidiary, IQL UK, there are more than 80,000 RLSS UK Pool Lifeguards in the UK trained in the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ). Around 95 per cent of all pool lifeguards are trained by the RLSS UK. RLSS UK awards and programmes teach a range of lifesaving skills ranging from life support (CPR) to water survival and rescue skills. Programmes include Rookie Lifeguard, Survive and Save and Save a Baby’s Life (a free course aimed at parents and carers of young children).

The partnership will include referrals from RLSS UK to Child Bereavement UK for bereaved families via Child Bereavement UK’s national Helpline which supports more than 6,000 people every year. The Helpline will also provide guidance and information for those with roles in life saving who may need support around a traumatic incident.

RLSS UK CEO Robert Gofton said: "This partnership aims to give families who have been affected by drowning, access to professional and expert care and support. Child Bereavement UK has such a fantastic reputation for supporting bereaved families and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to signpost the families we work with, both now and in the future, to the help they need to rebuild their lives."

Child Bereavement UK CEO Ann Chalmers said: "At Child Bereavement UK we know from the children, young people, parents and families we support, the devastation a death by drowning can bring. Our partnership with RLSS will help raise awareness of their important work on drowning prevention, and ensure that families bereaved by drowning, and professionals in the lifesaving sector, have access to the support they need."

After our beautiful daughter, Jessica, drowned in a swimming pool in 2008, we were fortunate to be introduced to Child Bereavement UK. This amazing organisation has been there ever since to hold our hands on our unexpected lifelong journey.

As patrons of the charity we feel the partnership with RLSS UK is invaluable. Everyone should be shown the skills to save lives and, when the unimaginable happens, have the support to carry on.

- Carolyn and Paul Turner, Patrons of Child Bereavement UK

RLSS UK produce a range of water safety resource for children and adults. Click here to access the resources.