Open water swimming has experienced something of a surge in popularity recently, and while it’s not an inherently unsafe activity, there’s little doubt that getting into trouble in a lake or the sea carries greater risk than a similar incident in a pool, while cold water can impact on people’s swimming ability.

The Amateur Swimming Association and RNLI have launched a new campaign to educate parents on how their children can swim safely in open water. The push is part of the ASA’s annual Swim Safe programme which is a joint initiative between the organisation and the RNLI which aims to give children aged 7-14 years old visiting the coast an opportunity to understand and learn about the differences between swimming in a pool and the challenges of swimming in an open water environment.

The programme includes five key tips for staying safe in open water.

Here’s more about the initiative and the research that has prompted this year’s push.