Sena wrote:
..

I agree, and I'd also agree that it doesn't need to be fenced off.
Children learn soon enough where not to play, and even if they do fall
in (they probably won't) then it's just a bit of an adventure.
Instead of scolding, just shove the clothes in the bath and the
children in the washing machine (or vice versa if you really must)
and let the morrow be another day. We (collectively) wrap our
children in far too much cotton wool these days, and IMO we are
damaging them by NOT letting them have mishaps. I'm a mother myself,
BTW, with 5 children ranging in age from 18 to 6.




http://www.righttoswim.co.uk/facts/d...from%20DTI.pdf

There were 90 fatal drowning incidents involving children five and under
from 1992
to 1999; relating to garden ponds (62) swimming pools (18) and other water
containers (10). Garden ponds are the main problem but less than 1 in 5
occurs in
their own garden. Most pond incidents occur in - neighbours gardens 39%,
relatives
29% or friends 10%. 80% of pond incidents occur in other people’s gardens.
Overall, 73% of all the drowning incidents do not take place at the child’s
home.


Current advice appears to
concentrate on protecting ponds/pools in your own home from children. The
data suggests
a much broader view may be necessary to reduce such incidents.


Summary – Garden Ponds
• Over the last eight years 62 children, aged 5 and under, have drowned in
garden ponds.
This is an average of eight a year. This is relatively constant.
• Over 85% involved one or two year old children.
• Boys were involved in 79% of these incidents. Boys would appear to be more
adventurous or more attracted to ponds than girls.
• Only 18% drowned in their own gardens.
• 29% drowned while visiting, or being cared for, at a relative’s home.
• 10% drowned while their parents were visiting a friend’s home.
• The largest percentage (39%) drowned in a neighbour’s pond after wandering
away
from their own home or the home of the people they were visiting.
• Boys are more likely to wander into neighbour's property than girls.
Neighbours account
for 45% of all garden pond incidents involving boys. For girls the figure
was 13%.


http://www.nationalwatersafety.org.u...ardenponds.htm

The figures show that only a small percentage of drowning deaths occur in
garden ponds and thankfully, despite the increase in popularity of water
features in gardens, the statistics are not showing an increase. However
there is no room for complacency and it is important to take preventative
measures to try and reduce the fatalities in garden ponds, one death is too
many.
Children between 1 and 2 years are particularly at risk. Water holds a
fascination for this age group and a young child will investigate any water
present in the garden. Toddlers mobility increases at a tremendous rate once
they start crawling and they can quickly escape parental supervision and get
into difficulties. Whilst mobility is increasing quickly, stability and
co-ordination remain poor. Therefore a toddler who falls into a garden pond,
even a shallow one, will find it difficult to regain their balance and stand
up. Also it is not until the age of 4 or 5 years that children begin to
understand the concept of danger and can begin to heed the warnings given to
them.

If you have young children the Forum advises you to take out garden ponds
and water features until the children are older, consider converting the
pond into a sandpit. Also, check the garden regularly to ensure that
containers that may have filled with rainwater are emptied or sealed to
prevent children gaining access. Make sure that children cannot gain access
to water butts or similar tubs by sealing them, consider not having them in
the garden whilst children are young. Empty paddling pools after use and
turn them upside down or better still put them away, so that if your child
does escape your supervision they are not at risk of drowning.

If parents wish to retain a pond then measures must be put in place to
prevent unsupervised access by young children. Consider installing a rigid
mesh or grille across the pond to create a secure cover. The grille needs to
be able to support the weight of a child and should remain above the surface
of the water at all times. If the grille is below the surface of the water,
even a couple of centimetres, it is still possible for a child to fall face
down into the surface water and drown. The grille or mesh must not sag and
should be checked regularly, particularly after heavy rain when water levels
may have changed.

If there is room, consider erecting a fence around the pond area and
ensuring any gate has a child-proof latch or lock and is self-closing.
Ensure that there are no gaps in the fence that a small child could squeeze
through and avoid horizontal railings that make the fence easier to climb. A
fence that is at least 1.1m in height with vertical railings not more than
100mm apart will present an obstacle that is difficult to climb to most
toddlers.


###

80 deaths a year of children under 5 in garden ponds & pools is 15% of ALL
deaths of children under 5
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloa...31/DH2No31.pdf

If you are still happy to dispense the advice in your post, then on your
conscience be it.

pk