Car Seat Safety – Nanny Guidelines
As a nanny for many years, the safety of my charges has always been paramount. This safety was always heavily concentrated for me when transporting children. After transporting children for all those years, fitting car seats and buckling children into a car became second nature. When you do something enough times, you find yourself in a routine, assuming that the knowledge you have and the way you do things is the correct way. However, while it may have been the correct way five or six years ago, safety standards and guidelines are ever-changing. You may not realize this when trapped in a routine that has worked well for years.
We encourage all Windsor House Nannies to challenge themselves by regularly taking new classes/workshops and certifications correlating to child care. We practice what we preach, and it was at a recent training that my eyes were opened to the ever-changing car safety standards and the importance of the “right” car seat for each child. I felt sharing what I learned at this training would be useful.
Car crashes remain one of the leading causes of death and injury to children in the USA. Many of these deaths could have been avoided if a child were riding in the correct car seat and restrained appropriately based on weight and height. Often, the minimum legal requirements or standard for a state concerning a car seat is not accurate. Determining the appropriate car seat for your child should always be a function of their weight, not their age, as some States recommend. Children of the same age may be very different in stature, and therefore, a restraint and seat that would keep a larger 5-year-old safe and protected may cause injury or harm to a smaller 5-year-old. Also, using additional covers for spill protection, fashion, etc., that did not come standard with the original manufactured product might interfere with the car seat’s effectiveness.
As a nanny, your #1 job is the safety of your charge. As a placement nanny, you will no doubt be responsible for transporting a child. Therefore, you should be fully aware of the standards the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration experts recommended. You are bound to an extent by what your family already has in place and their budget. However, if the car seat is being put in your car, you have a much greater say. If you feel a child could be harmed or is in the wrong car seat for their stature, it is your duty to share the resources at your disposal (such as https://thecarseatlady.com/) to show the family their child could be in danger. Several companies will do car seat consultations, offering advice and assistance. You should be completely familiar with the correct placement of restraints on a child’s body, given their size and stature and how tight they should be. Restraints in the incorrect places can cause serious injury or organ damage in an accident. Other key considerations range from things as obvious as proper seat anchoring to the suitability of thick clothing. Rear-facing seats and chest straps are recommended as the safest modes for all children as long as they can comfortably sit in that position.
In addition, obtaining an “emergency contact tag” for each child in your care is recommended and should be updated several times a year based on age. This tag is designed to keep your charge’s safety and health information current & available at a moment’s notice. This card should be attached to each child’s car seat with additional copies visible from the front of the car and one in your wallet, diaper, or nanny bag. This tag should have the following information for each child: name, photograph, birthdate, allergies, medical conditions, parent 1 & their contact number, parent 2 & contact number, nanny contact number, family Dr. or pediatrician, and preferred hospital. Another helpful document is a card stating that the children are in your (the nanny’s) care so first responders are aware.
