Bath time care

Recent information from the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian shows that bathtubs have surpassed swimming pools as the leading cause of residential drowning deaths for children under five. Commissioner Elizabeth Fraser urged parents and caregivers to be vigilant during bath time. “Children under the age of five should be supervised by an adult, within arms’ reach at all times while in or around water, no matter how shallow the water may be,” she said. “If a parent or caregiver needs to leave the bathroom at any stage during bath time, they should always take their child with them to remove the risk of being alone in or near water.” Ms Fraser said parents also needed to be aware of the dangers of bathing young children together.