Most Australian’s tend to grow up around water. Many people have backyard pools, we spend our holidays at the beach or by a river and it is common that most children learn how to swim from an early age. Unfortunately many children still drown every year, and many of these deaths occur in backyard pools. When installing a 
pool in your backyard as well as putting in the pool, the pool pump and the heating system, you will also need to install a safety fence that adheres to the Australian safety standards.
Safety fence
It is important that every backyard pool has a safety fence, one that is in keeping with the Australian safety standards. Many lives can be saved by having a fence in place. It will also need to have a child proof gate. The fence can be made from metal, brick or even glass, as long as it meets with the standards. The look of your pool can be improved by having a glass fence as this will allow you uninterrupted views.
First aid
It is a good idea when you have children to do a first aid course. Having at least one person in the home who knows proper first aid can be extremely beneficial. Learning how to resuscitate a person is a useful skill, which hopefully you will never need to use, but having this skill will give you good piece of mind.
Keep an eye on children
Always watch children around water. When you are around a pool, at the beach or by a river, or even when your children are in the bath, never take your eyes off them. Children can drown extremely quickly, even in a small amount of water. Even if your children can swim it is wise to keep watch over them. If you are out by the pool with them make sure that you give them your full attention, don’t just keep half on eye on them while you do other things like read or tend to the barbecue.
Floatation aids
When children are swimming it is important to put floatation aids on them if they cannot swim properly. These should be used correctly and you should always still watch your children while swimming. They are not to be used as a rescue aid, which will be clearly stated on the device. It is also best to use floatation aids that apply with the right standards.
Swimming lessons
Enroll your children in swimming lessons as soon as they are old enough. There are classes for children as young as six months, which these are really all about water familiarisation rather than learning to swim. Regular swimming lessons can help improve your children’s confidence around water and give them the skills to survive in water. All public pools offer swimming lessons with qualified instructors which generally fit in with the school term. There aren’t expensive, usually around ten dollars a lesson. Children can be enrolled in private lessons, depending on the swim school.