PAS 520:2015

This PAS is currently under revision and a new version will shortly be available

Overview

PAS 520: 2015 is the first Publicly Available Specification to tackle codifying best practice in how very young children should be taught to swim and professionally photographed during lessons.

It reflects that the market for teaching these children to swim is now well developed, yet, until now, no commonly agreed or standard approach existed which set out minimum expected levels of adequate safeguarding for very young swimmers. Nor was there any available guidance for professional photographers engaged in this specialized activity.

The PAS has been written to help the sector self-regulate by setting a minimum standard for providers that will help mitigate against children being put at risk.

What does the standard cover?

The PAS gives recommendations to providers of swimming lessons for 0 – 4-year-old children in the pre-fundamental stages of swimming and to those engaged in associated photography.

It covers all aspects of operating, managing and developing a commercial swimming business or programme in this specialist area and clearly addresses the safeguarding of the end user.

The PAS does not cover safeguarding children over four years of age. Nor does it cover photography that is separate from swimming lessons or the safety/suitability of buoyancy/toy equipment other than that which is used for the teaching and/or photography of children aged zero to four years.

Who is the PAS for?

The PAS will be extremely useful to a wide range of related professionals as well as parents and parent groups. Specifically it will be relevant to:

• Swimming schools
• Suppliers of underwater photography
• Relevant professional bodies
• Pool owners, operators and managers
• National governing bodies and related organizations
• Relevant children's charities
• Safeguarding organizations (e.g. local government safeguarding boards)
• Parents and parents’ groups
• Consumer groups
• Swimming apparel retailers
• Central government departments
• Relevant sporting educational charities
• Leisure/holiday providers
• Universities and academia