ASN swimming lessons restored in West Dunbartonshire for first time since pandemic

Swimming lessons for children and young people with additional support needs will be reinstated after cross-party support from councillors.

SNP member for Clydebank Lauren Oxley submitted a motion to last month’s full meeting of the local authority, demanding that lessons for ASN youngsters restarted.

And the move was backed cross-party at Church Street.

A delighted Councillor Oxley said: “The lack of lessons was highlighted by two of my constituents who both have children with additional needs. Both families, along with 30+ other children, had been on the waiting list for ASN swimming lessons for over three years.

“As a result, my constituents were forced to travel to other local authorities for lessons, making it more time consuming and costly, especially during a cost of living crisis. As someone with a brother who has autism and benefited from swimming lessons himself, this was not acceptable to me and I wanted to use my position to help the parents.

“Our Leisure Trust staff do an incredible job of running the group lessons and I know that they go to great lengths to accommodate any child or young person, regardless of their needs. However, the reality is that group lessons are not suitable for all children and some need that crucial one-to-one support.

“Funding was the main issue preventing the lessons from being ran which is why I welcome the Council’s long overdue commitment to funding these lessons.

“Learning to swim offers so many benefits - not only does it teach a life long and life saving skill, it also helps to develop confidence and independence, keeps people active, and for those with additional needs, it is also a great sensory experience.

“Every child and young person deserves access to these lessons and I thank my constituents for bringing it to my attention - without their determination to make things right for their children, then I don’t think we would have seen this commitment.”

All swimming lessons were postponed during the Covid pandemic with group lessons restarting in 2022. However there was no individual provision for young people with complex care needs requiring one-to-one-support when this was reinstated.

Funding will now be provided through the Cost of Living fund in the short term with the West Dunbartonshire Swimming Development Service then working on a funding proposal for the programme going forward.

Council will be updated at a future meeting on the progress of the reinstatement of the full swimming programme.

Councillor McGinty said: “I am pleased that there was unanimous support to get these sessions back up and running. They are a lifeline for families with children who have complex support needs and cannot safely be catered for in group lessons.

“This is exactly why the Council, in the budget which was set last month, has provision for individual funds so that these can be utilised throughout the year for important projects such as this.”

Vice-convener of the Cost of Living Group, Councillor Clare Steel added: “This is a cause which is close to my heart as my daughter, who has complex care needs, has thrived through these one-to-one swimming lessons.

“I have seen in her face the difference that these can make and I am thrilled that they will be reinstated for the benefit of those who require them.”