How do junior preliminary evaluations work, and who can sign them off?

Every junior member must take the Junior Preliminary Evaluation for their age group before any water-based activity. Clubs can set standards above SLSA's but not below. It is an evaluation of competency, not a pass or fail test for membership: a child who does not meet the level needs a higher level of supervision in the water at the club's discretion.

Conditions (SLSA factsheet, 2021/22 edition, and the May 2026 Water Safety Procedure):

• Hold it in a low-risk environment decided by a pre-activity risk assessment.
• Use a 1 to 1 water safety ratio for new junior members, and 1 to 5 for returning members whose ability the club knows.
• The Water Safety Procedure sets a minimum 1 to 5 ratio for junior preliminary swims.
• Children who complete it competently move on to water activities at 1 to 5, or 1 to 10 in still water, pool or formally assessed low-risk conditions.

Who assesses: the 2021/22 factsheet says the delegate must be proficient in the Surf Rescue Certificate at a minimum, know the evaluation requirements and the reasonable adjustment process, and be minuted at a club management meeting each year. Surf Life Saving Queensland (2024/25 update, state example) lets Endorsed Age Managers sign off preliminary, beach and competition evaluations: each club can have up to 9, they must be 18, financial, hold a Blue Card, have done the child safety courses, hold a current Age Manager award and have watched that season's proficiency video.

Sources: https://www.surflifesaving.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/Age-Groups-Preliminary-and-Competitions-Evaluations-Factsheet.pdf ; https://sls.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2026/09/Policy-1.01A-Water-Safety-Procedure.pdf ; https://lifesaving.com.au/app/uploads/106.08.2024-2024.2025-Junior-Activities-Update.pdf