Cost and Access Keep Many Georgia Children from Learning to Swim, Emory Poll Finds

In partnership with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, a new statewide poll of Georgia parents by the Emory Center for Child Health Policy finds that half of Georgia children (50%) face barriers learning to swim, supporting efforts by the YMCA to increase swim lesson accessibility. Swim skills are among the most effective protections against drowning deaths in children, but not everyone has access to lessons or swimming facilities.

The Emory Center for Child Health Policy conducts an annual poll of Georgia parents on the well-being of children in the state. This year the poll partnered with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta to ask Georgia families about water safety.  

Key Findings

• The poll of 1,002 Georgia parents found that 90% of parents think swim skills are important for their children, but one third (33%) of children cannot swim unassisted.  
• One in five families (20%) struggle to afford the cost of swim lessons with even more Black, Hispanic, and lower-income families reporting this barrier.  
• Limited access to swimming facilities is another common logistical barrier (12%), particularly for families living in rural areas (19%).
• Nearly two-thirds of parents (59%) trust community organizations like the YMCA and Red Cross for drowning prevention information. 

"Parents want their children to be safe around water but face real barriers accessing formal lessons,” says Sarah Loch, study author and associate director of the Emory Center for Child Health Policy. “Learning to swim not only keeps kids safe now but benefits future generations because we know that children are more likely to swim if their parents have those skills."

The YMCA of Metro Atlanta, one of the state's largest providers of swim instruction, recently expanded eligibility for swim lessons— they no longer require a YMCA facility membership to take lessons. The change is designed to lower the threshold for families who want lessons but don't need or can't afford a membership. The Y also continues to offer a long-standing financial assistance program for families who need additional financial support.

“Partnerships with community organizations like the Y are central to our mission of polling in Georgia,” says Loch. “By providing data on what Georgia families want and need, we can support local organizations in their policy and programmatic decision making.”

More Resources

Families looking for lessons and water safety resources can visit these websites:

• Information on swim lessons, water safety, and more from YMCA of Metro Atlanta
• Safe swimming guidelines from Georgia Department of Public Health
• Drowning prevention and water safety resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Water safety tips for parents and caregivers from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• SPLASH! water safety initiative from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
• Upcoming events from the Atlanta Water Safety Coalition  
• Drowning prevention information from CDC  
• Water safety information from the American Red Cross  

Throughout 2026, the Emory Center for Child Health Policy will continue to distribute poll results on child health and well-being as a part of ongoing efforts to elevate the voices of Georgia parents to understand their concerns for their children. Recent spring 2026 releases include polling on high school cellphone and technology policies, food insecurity, and parents’ top concerns for children. The State of Child Health and Well-Being in Georgia 2026 full report will be released this summer.

The Emory Center for Child Health Policy is part of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.