I’m Jess, a Water Babies teacher in South Manchester and parent to Logan, who has been attending Water Babies lessons for almost five years. In 2024, Logan and I shared our story about his journey learning to swim with a rare brain condition, which inspired me to become a Water Babies teacher after seeing how much he could achieve at such a young age.
Logan has Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC), which means the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres (the brain’s ‘superhighway’, known as the corpus callosum) did not, and will not, develop. This was picked up during pregnancy and is relatively rare, affecting around 1 in 3000 people. Without a corpus callosum, the brain must find other, usually slower, means of making connections, so developmental delays are common with ACC. Many people with the condition also display traits consistent with an autism diagnosis, which Logan received in 2025. In our previous blog, we talked about the fact that Logan is non-verbal, so does not yet produce spoken language, however without being able to understand and follow instructions, he had learned to swim through his regular Water Babies lessons.
Starting School
Since 2024, Logan has moved from his wonderful inclusive nursery setting to Reception at a specialist autism school. Going through the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process was a huge challenge for our family, but Logan got a place at the best local school to meet his needs and he absolutely loves it; he is thriving and supported, and so are we!
Throughout this time, we have consistently attended Logan’s Water Babies lessons (moving to weekend classes once full-time school began), where he has continued to be taught alongside mainstream children. It’s important for us that we maintain inclusive environments for Logan now he attends a SEND school. It makes sense for him to be educated where his needs can best be met, and we open his world further through rich, engaging experiences elsewhere. This is exactly why Water Babies is so important for Logan.
Progress in the Pool
One of the biggest swimming developments for Logan over the past 18 months is that he has learned how to jump into the pool without adult support! I was always sure this was something he would be able to do, but without understanding instructions I would stand him on poolside and he would just stay there (or sometimes attempt to run off), so needed his teacher to help him come to me in the water. Now, if I sit him on poolside he will splash or dive in, but if he stands on poolside he will jump. It’s like something clicked in his brain that the jumping he does on land (he does a lot of happy, joyful jumps when stimming) might be fun to do into the water as well.
Logan is also so much stronger than he was when he was three and can swim much longer distances with only a tiny bit of help from me. He swam a full 25-metre length in one of his most recent lessons!
He doesn’t understand direction on technique like other children his age, so he doesn’t particularly use recognised leg kicks or even swim in straight lines, so from a safety and attention point-of-view, it’s good that he is in a class where carers are in the pool with their children. I make sure he comes to the surface for a breath, and that he swims in the right direction, but he moves through the water by feel. Sometimes he kicks his legs alternately, sometimes more simultaneously like a butterfly kick; other times he uses his arms to scoop the water or leaves them by his sides in a more streamlined position.
Attending lessons regularly has helped him progress over time, through the support of Logan’s teacher, Jenny. For everyone, not just neurodivergent children, practice makes perfect!
The Water Babies Community
Jenny still needs to adapt the skills she is teaching for me and Logan, but us Water Babies teachers are skilled and trained at doing this for every child and carer in the water. Logan really doesn’t like noodles, I think he feels they restrict him rather than seeing them as a buoyancy aid. Jenny always offers him one anyway, like she does with his peers, but if he pushes it away and does the activity with support from me or Jenny instead, that’s absolutely fine.
Our whole class operates in this way; every child is challenged but not pushed beyond their comfort zone. The other children and parents in our new class have been lovely and very accepting of Logan. I have heard his classmates asking their parents about Logan, about why he is clapping or making certain noises, and they have always explained it in such a kind, inclusive way – he’s clapping because he’s happy to be swimming! I really appreciate that community as a Water Babies parent and aim to foster the same sense of community within all the classes I teach.
Supporting Others
Logan’s Water Babies journey has had a big effect on the way I support the children and carers who attend my classes. I’ve spent five years parenting a child who doesn’t talk, so I think that has made me quite attuned to non-verbal communication and I respond to what my swimmers are telling me. Whether it’s a baby holding a fish but looking at another one (so obviously wanting to swap the one they have) or a parent looking nervous about going underwater with their child, I aim to give space to what everyone in the pool wants and needs. I also love listening to my little swimmers when they want to tell me about their lives, and I try to remember things that might motivate them in the pool, e.g. we might try to glide like the penguins at Chester Zoo!
Looking Ahead
Logan has learned to swim through repetition and consistency in his Water Babies lessons. He absolutely loves being in the water and he feels how to move through it. His whole life so far, we have focused on repetition and consistency with all skills, using clear concise language to help Logan’s understanding and model words and phrases to him. The fact he learned to swim has given us such belief that he can do and learn anything, and recently a wonderful thing has happened…Logan has started to talk! He mainly enjoys counting things from 1-10 and has also said a few words in context such as “car”, “bye-bye” and “ears”. He still seems unsure about using language, but his brain is starting to give him a voice, and this has been a beautiful thing to experience over the last couple of months.
Jess’ Advice
My advice for any parents who may be nervous about starting Water Babies lessons because of their own or their little one’s additional needs, is just to take those first steps into the pool. We will look after you. We’ve all been there and we all want to support you in building your child’s water confidence. We will make time to adapt lessons and skills where needed. Swimming is a lifesaving skill, and at Water Babies, no-one gets left behind.
In her spare time, Jess volunteers for Corpal, the UK charity supporting those affected by Disorders of the Corpus Callosum. You can find more information at www.corpal.org.uk, or follow Corpal on Instagram @corpal.charity.
