A new report released to coincide with national Learn to Swim Week reveals that a third of UK children are unable to swim because parents struggle with lack of time and the money to teach them.

The survey was conducted by STA (Swimming Teachers’ Association), a leading educational charity dedicated to the teaching of swimming and lifesaving skills. The survey involved more than 2,000 parents with children aged 0-16 years.

Kayle Burgham, Head of Aquatics at STA said, "Of greatest concern is the research finding that one in three children between the ages of 10 and 16 currently cannot swim, and especially when you consider this age group makes up one of the highest percentage of drownings in the UK."

The aim of the study was for STA to understand the main reasons why children are currently not learning to swim, a key life skill.

"The research has served to qualify our own insight into the teaching of swimming here in the UK, and two clear conclusions can be drawn from this,” said Kayle.

“First, there is a ‘missed generation’ that received little in the way of swimming teaching when they were younger, and this dislike, or lack of confidence in the water is now impacting on their own children today.

“Secondly, this is further perpetuated by the fact the amount of children learning to swim currently at school (in our survey) has dropped by half in comparison to their own parents at the same age.

“Therefore, with a lack of school swimming, which we know is a national problem, learning to swim has become the responsibility of parents - and as the survey shows, many don’t have the time, the money or the confidence to teach them themselves. It’s a vicious circle that firmly needs addressing."

The results of the survey will be used to formulate a plan that meets with STA’s aim of giving every child in the UK the opportunity to learn to swim.

For Learn to Swim Week (June 10 - 16) STA is working in partnership with the Scouts Association and hundreds of swim schools across the UK to help them promote the benefits of learning to swim and the importance of water safety education to young learners, adults and families. The campaign theme is #LoveWaterSafely. For further information, visit www.sta.co.uk

* Results of the survey were broken down into regions:

The report shows that, in Wales, nearly 20% of children aged 0-16 can’t swim despite the fact that nine out of ten parents agree that swimming is a life skill and eight out of ten parents wish they were better swimmers themselves.

More than half of parents admit they don’t go swimming with their children.

One in ten argue they don’t have the time to teach their children, two in five blame cost and over 57% admit they don’t like the water themselves, can’t swim themselves or don’t have the confidence to teach their kids.