The Program: Beginning at the age of 6 months, children are taught to turn from face down in the water to face up and into a comfortable back float position; at 12 months old, children learn how to swim, rotate onto the back and float, and then turn back over and continue swimming to safety. Children are taught in a one-to-one setting, where the instructor is focused solely on one child. Parents,
who must be present during the lessons, are educated about all aspects of aquatic safety through interviews, observations, and the Safe Start Parent Resource Book. The Safe Start program is a comprehensive six week course. Five days per week, for a maximum of 10 minutes per day, a child works with a certified Safe Start instructor to master the survival swim techniques. The child learns the techniques in swimwear and also in street clothes, as most drownings occur when a child is taking part in his/her normal day.
