FAQs
I want to teach my child to swim; how can you help?
We recommend starting at your local pool with the Learn to Swim programme (this is available in Scotland, Wales and England), there is also the Level Water programme which is aimed at children with disabilities. Private 1-1 lessons can be an option for some families too.
Whoever is involved in teaching your child to swim, we would recommend that they become familiar with our Supporting Swimmers with Down Syndrome toolkit:
My child can swim, what is the next step?
You should be able to get local guidance from your swim teacher and/or leisure centre. Once your child is able to demonstrate a reasonable technique in all four strokes you can start to look at swim clubs. Swimmers usually need to attend a trial.
If your swimmer is over 10 years of age, they can enter the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships held in November each year.
How do I find a club?
Ask your swim teacher about local clubs, chat with other parents of mainstream swimmers and parents of swimmers with a disability. It is useful to consider mainstream and para squads – the provision that is available will vary widely across the UK. Ask the club about minimum standards and the age of other swimmers in the squads.
We recommend sharing our Supporting Swimmers with Down Syndrome toolkit linked above.
My swimmer is a member of a club. What is the next step?
Once your swimmer is established within the club they will need to start competing regularly in order to get times for events and to gain experience at competing. For swimmers over 10 years, we would highly recommend attending the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships
How do I become a member of the GB team?
Becoming a DSS-GB squad member is by invitation only and is for swimmers who meet the membership criteria. This means they will be training with a club a minimum of four sessions per week, have achieved a minimum of four qualifying times, have experience of competing and are ready for international competition.
The most direct way for the DSS-GB coaching team to get to know your swimmer is by attending the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships, but you can also send a link to your swimmer’s times on the rankings database to the DSS-GB Lead Coach via the Membership Secretary [email protected]
Is there an age restriction for the GB team?
The minimum age is 13 (10 years for the British Champs).
My club needs some support to accommodate my swimmer’s needs; how can you help?
Please refer your coach/swim teacher to our Supporting Swimmers with Down Syndrome toolkit. If you have any further queries, please contact us [email protected]
Also, here is the Special Olympics Swimming Coaching Guide.
Where can I find equipment that suits my swimmer’s physical profile?
Swimmers with Down Syndrome come in all shapes and sizes; some find it difficult to find goggles that fit well while others find swimsuits to be a challenge. If there is a kit item that you are struggling with, get in touch and we can find someone in the DSS-GB team with a similar physical profile who can help you.