LSV is committed to ensuring all junior programs and activities are run at the highest standard, with the safety of our junior members paramount at all times. Many activities conducted for our children as part of a junior activities program are conducted in the open water.
To ensure that all children have a suitable swimming ability to allow them to participate in these activities, LSV in conjunction with SLSA have developed the junior evaluation and award requirements for each age group.
Junior Preliminary Assessments
Preliminary assessments are a risk management procedure to appraise the swimming capabilities of participants and must be done as part of the club’s duty of care. An assessor must feel satisfied that a participant would be able to swim to safety if required.
Every Nipper is required to complete the preliminary assessment for their age group before participating in any water-based activities at your club.
Any child that does not meet the required evaluation level will require a higher level of supervision when involved in water-based activities at the discretion of the assessor.
Evaluations should be conducted in a low-risk environment, as determined by the completion of a pre-activity risk assessment. All new junior members should be supported by a 1:1 water safety ratio (water safety personnel: activity participant) when completing their evaluation. For all returning junior members, where knowledge of their ability is known by the club, a 1:5 water safety ratio (water safety personnel: activity participants) may be used (Refer to SLSA Water Safety Procedure 1.01).
A member who is delegated to assess Junior Evaluations must:
- LSV accredited foundation, development, or performance coach.
- LSV accredited core, technical, senior or performance official.
- Be familiar with the process of reasonable adjustment.
- Be proficient in SRC (at minimum) and understand the requirements, with a minimum age of 17 years.
- Complete relevant paperwork accurately and return in a timely manner.
- Delegate names must be minuted at a club Management Team meeting as required.
In instances where evaluations cannot be completed a qualified and accredited swim coach can be endorsed to sign off the skills pool assessment. Swimming coaches are required to provide their Australian Swimming Teachers and Coaches Associate (ASTCA) number, their name and email address and the name of the children who have successfully completed the swim.
If a club doesn’t have access to any of the above personnel for assessing, please contact nippers@lsv.com.au.
Junior Preliminary Assessment Proficiency Processing
It is required to process preliminary assessments via the Nipper Admin App once completed to confirm the Nipper is proficient.
Preliminary assessments can also be processed by Surfguard i.e., for juniors who are competing up an age group in carnivals.
- Nipper Admin Instructions for Junior Activities Preliminary Assessments
- Surfguard Entry for Junior Activities Preliminary Assessment
Assessment Rubrics
- 2022/2023 Junior Evaluation Preliminary Assessment for Pool Setting
- 2022/2023 Junior Evaluation Preliminary Assessment for Open Water Setting
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