Hello
For many divers, but also for supervisors, the diving regulations remain very vague, and there is a lot of confusion between the FFESSM regulations and the real legal framework ... and the difference is significant:
- if you do not respect the legal framework, you are liable to criminal penalties
- if you do not respect the FFESSM regulations you can at worst be excluded from this federation…
In the article on child diving, we can read that the federation sets the “legal framework” and thus an age limit for child diving. This is set by the sport code, which for example in the case of children's diving does not mention an age limit anywhere. The FFESSM sets an “internal regulation” which concerns only its own members, and nothing more. Setting an age limit for child diving is also a completely understandable precaution because the FFESSM is primarily intended for federal instructors, volunteers, to whom we cannot ask for the skills or the material resources of an instructor. state certificate and a professional center.
The FFESSM has effectively received a “delegation of power” from the ministry (it is the delegate federation for the discipline); this only concerns the competition: selection, organization of competitions, delivery of titles, etc ... (see sport code articles L131-15 and L131-16 / http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCode.do;jsessionid=5FABACDB57A1D36AB508ECA4CEDEED52.tpdjo04v_3?idSectionTA=LEGISCTA000006167037&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006071318&dateTexte=20120325). It is true that the ministry will (in general!) Ask the delegated federation for its opinion before issuing a regulatory text on the discipline concerned, but it will also seek the opinion of other bodies, in particular professional organizations (ANMP, SNMP… previously they were all grouped together in the advisory committee).
Case law provides evidence to demonstrate that justice does consider federal regulation as internal regulation, which only applies to its members. A professional instructor can perfectly work outside the federal framework, moreover many of them do.
Coming back to children's diving, many state-certified instructors allow younger children to dive safely, thanks to suitable equipment, covered by insurance (like those of the ANMP) which does not set an age. limit…
Valerie Stoessel
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4 comments
Thank you for your article Patrick. Without being really convinced, the fact remains that seen from this angle, your opinion can be understood.
Regards
It is unfortunate to read that from volunteer federal monitors one cannot ask for the same skills as a state certificate….
( "Setting an age limit for child diving is also a completely understandable precaution because the FFESSM is aimed primarily at Federal instructors, volunteers, who can not be asked for skills nor material means a state patent monitor and a professional center")
Many federal instructors probably have a lot more experience than a newly graduated state certificate (without wanting to play volunteer / professional war).
Children's diving has greatly evolved within the FFESSM, the courses have been reviewed, improved, are applied and known by the instructors. The age limit is based on medical reasons and why not add that our French coasts are perhaps less hospitable than Polynesia!
“Indoor clubs” as they are called have children's diving sections with instructors specialized in the supervision of these little bubblers and equipment adapted to their morphology… everything goes through a fun learning to dive. We are also trained for that!
Let's not forget the RIPE days organized by the FFESSM for children.
This is a small clarification that will surely be useful.
Hello Isabelle,
Of course some federal instructors happen to have more experience than a very young state certificate! But we often forget that a diving instructor is a profession; some individuals are passionate about plumbing for example, and may have great skills, but can they compare to a professional plumber who has been practicing every day for 10 years or more? The reflection is the same for the hardware, although again exceptions exist.
As for the reasons for banning diving before 8 years old, they are of course medical, but they do not concern an immersion that would take place almost on the surface ... and this is what we practice with very small children, the top of their heads are almost out of the water, but they breathe on a regulator and see the fish. It's already diving, why deprive them of it if the environmental and material conditions are right? The federal children's diving course is based mainly on technical skills, which also justifies this choice of age limit, but other schools have chosen a different approach. Children's diving at the ANMP is mainly focused on discovering the environment and playing, the technique is only at the service of these primary objectives.
Hello Valerie
I completely agree with you on the approach to diving for the little ones, and even the very young ... nothing is more beautiful than the smile of a child when he raises his head above water while he just breathed in a regulator under the surface and saw a small fish or a starfish. I practiced it very often in baptism and it is true that it is a shame to give a age limit when immersions are carried out under these conditions.
Also agree on the fact that the federal children's diving course is based on technical skills which therefore justifies the medical reason.
My reaction was correct on the way in which the underlined sentence was worded… age limit for child diving set by the FFESSM because its federal monitors are volunteers who cannot have the same skills as a professional….
For the rest I share your opinion.