Free swim lessons at Wave Swim Academy Glenwood and Aquabliss Seven Hills

IT’S never too late to learn but it’s better to learn how to swim from six months of age.

Rebekah Davis with Lukas Williams, Harry Lewis and Hanna Lewis at Wave Swim Academy at Glenwood.

IT’S never too late to learn but it’s better to learn how to swim from six months of age.

That’s the message swim centres are promoting for Learn to Swim Week, running from September 24 to October 2.

Free swim lessons are on offer to children under five at pools including Wave Swim Academy at Glenwood and Aquabliss at Seven Hills.

Drownings are the leading cause of death for children in that age group.

The younger the better: Rebekah Davis with youngsters Harry Lewis and Hanna Lewis.

A total of 271 people drowned in Australian waterways between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015, an increase of five from the previous financial year.

“The earlier they’re in the water, the better,’’ Wave Swim Academy aquatic education co-ordinator Rebekah Davis said.

“It will increase their ease of being in the water in the long run and it will be fun for the rest of their life.”

Former Olympic coach and Learn to Swim Week ambassador Lawrie Lawrence said 81 per cent of parents with young children thought swimming lessons were compulsory at ­Australian schools so did not enrol them in classes.

“It’s up to the parent to ensure their child learns water safety and how to swim,” he said.

Money was the other hurdle to children being enrolled in regular swimming lessons.

“The life of our kids is too important to be jeopardised by constraints on the family budget, so we’re performing this vital service free of charge,’’ Mr Lawrence said.

To sign up to lessons, visit learntoswimweek.com.au.