As warm summer days approach and families gear up for backyard pool parties and trips to the beach, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Safe Kids Illinois and Lurie Children’s Hospital are teaming up to promote a simple life-saving strategy everyone can use to keep children safe when they are in or near water: designate a Water Watcher. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4; and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14. To help families keep children safe, Illinois DCFS has created a printable Water Watcher tag that clearly identifies the adult responsible for supervising children during water activities, helping ensure that someone is always alert and watching them. In 2025, 24 Illinois children lost their lives to accidental drowning, including 12 in pools and eight in lakes, rivers or ponds. To download Water Watcher tags and learn more water safety tips, visit the DCFS website: dcfs.illinois.gov/for-families/safety/water-safety.html.