Shocking new data shows the number of children sadly drowning in the bath increased from 4 in 2019-20 to 12 in 2021-22. Seven of these tragic deaths were of babies under one and, in five cases, bath seats were being used.
In the majority of cases (82%) the child had been left alone in the bath. The most common reasons for leaving the child alone were taking a phone call, leaving the room to get something e.g. a towel, confusion about who was supervising the child or attending to a sibling or other young children.
Top tips from CAPT for safe bath time:
- Get everything you need ready before bath time.
- Stay with your baby or young child all the time they’re in the bath. Keep them in arm’s reach.
- Bath seats can topple or your baby can slip out. Don’t leave your baby alone in one even for a moment.
- Don’t rely on your toddler to keep an eye on the baby while you pop out for a towel. They’re too young to understand the danger.
For more information please visit Child Accident Prevention Trust