Drowning, according to the National Safety Council, ranks among the highest leading causes of accidental death for children and youth 0-24. Foster parents must take extra precaution with children when around large bodies of water. Foster parents whose primary or alternate residence (vacation home, country residence, etc.) has an in-ground or above ground pool, must comply with the following requirements:

Requirements:

• Verbally agree to and sign the Water Safety Agreement. 
• Know or learn how to swim. 
• Obtain the required CPR and First Aid training during the first year of approval. Re-certification is not reimbursable and, therefore, not required. 
• Complete a Basic Water Rescue class that is designed to prevent and respond to water emergencies within the first year of approval or as soon as the course is made available in your area. Basic Water Rescue addresses recognition, prevention and response to water emergencies. 
• Provide some form of written verification (letter of verification, certificate, etc.) that the swimming, First Aid, CPR and Basic Water Rescue requirements have been completed. 
• Enroll all children placed in the home, three (3) years and older, in a swimming class at the local YMCA or other free or inexpensive facility some time during the first year of placement in the home. The course must be taught by a certified swimming instructor and should be retaken until the child learns to swim. The Case Manager should be contacted immediately if a child is unable to complete the required swimming or water safety course due to mental or physical challenges. 
• Complete the child’s swimming requirements within one (1) year of placement in the home. 
• Refrain from allowing children who have not completed a course in swimming in or around pools and other large bodies of water unless closely supervised by an adult. Provide close adult supervision of children at all times. 
• Ensure that the pool or waterfront area meets local and/or state ordinances. 

• Surround the pool with a fence that is enclosed on all sides (isolate the pool from the yard) and has a gate that locks. The fence should be of sufficient height to prevent the entry of young children. Fences enclosing pools should be at least forty-eight (48) inches in height with vertical or horizontal openings that are no more the four(4) inches wide. 

  Above-ground pools - The structure of an above-ground pool may also be used to meet the fence requirement. When the structure is used as a fence, or a fence is mounted on top of the above ground pool, the pool must be made inaccessible by removing the steps or ladder, or by surrounding the steps or the ladder itself with a fence and a gate that locks. The fence should be at least 48 inches in height, with vertical or horizontal openings that are no more than four (4) inches wide. 

• Always provide direct adult supervision where bodies of water exist, this includes the freestanding “kiddy pools” that vary in depth. 
• Have children wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (life vest, jacket, etc.) when on a boat or other watercraft.

Although the water safety policy makes specific reference to swimming pools, extra safety precaution (i.e., close supervision, sensors, alarms, locks, etc.) must also be taken with lakes and ponds, especially ponds that are located on the same property as the foster home.

Guidelines:

There are additional precautions foster parents can take to assure the safety of children in and around water. You are also encouraged to check with local medical facilities or go online (surf the web) to increase your awareness of water safety strategies for children. Additional steps that may be taken to ensure the safety of children in your care include the following:

• Never leave children unattended near any source of standing water, including bathtubs, swimming pools, hot tubs, or even large buckets of water for infants and toddlers. Children have drowned in as little as one to two inches of water! 
• Install self-closing/self-latching devices on windows or doors leading to pool/lake area (if possible), as well as on pool gates. 
• Drain and cover pools that are not to be used for an extended period of time. 
• Remove pool cover completely when pool is in use to prevent children from getting trapped underneath. 
• Remove portable steps to above ground pools when the pool is not in use. 
• Keep a cordless phone at hand ( or install a pool-side jack) to prevent having to go indoors “briefly” to use the telephone, leaving children unsupervised. 
• Program emergency numbers for quick dialing. 
• Clearly identify the deep and shallow ends of the pool. 
• Equip the swimming pool or water area with such life saving devices as ring buoys, rescue tubes or other floatation devices such as “water wings”, etc. 
• Flotation devices should never be used as a substitute for proper supervision. 
• Children should never be left unsupervised while in or near water simply because they know how to swim.

*Water or “bodies of water” for the purpose of this policy include streams, lakes, rivers, creeks, canals, swamps, oceans and flooded areas and all pools. Waterfront property includes property that is adjacent to or bordered by water.

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