Car seats, what's good and what's not?

[bloodywhitecat]

I am about a month off becoming a first time foster parent. My own children are fully grown and left the nest a while ago and I haven't had the need for a car seat in a very long time. I am bamboozled by the offerings, I know I can use one that SS provide but I think I would feel happiest transporting a child in the seat I knew the history of so I plan to buy one. I know no-one that has small children so I have no-one to ask for advice so I am looking for tips on seats to research. I am aiming at taking 0-5 year olds but may take an older child too. Help me? Please?

As the in car safety centre. They're good at advising by email what will fit your car.

Basically now you're supposed to rear face until 15 months minimum but rear facing for as long as possible is safest. I have an axkid minikid which will rear face until 25kg or between 5-6 years. Then I'll go to a booster seat until 12.

If you don't know the ages you'll get you could get something like the Joie every stages which will do newborn to 12 years but only rear face until 18kg which could be as early as 3 years.

^Ask

Would thoroughly recommend a joie 360’spin. They’re isofix and can take from newborn to 15kg I think and can tear face throughout. The spin function is great for getting them in without having to do the crazy reaching around.
If you’re going to have children who are older in the seat joie (promise I don’t work for them!) do something called an everystage which I think goes up to 12.
We have an ERF seat for my toddler which will keep him read facing to 25kg - it’s an axikid minikind (I think is the name) and super safe but it attaches with tethers so less easy to move between cars.
Would definitely recommend the in car safety centre they were brilliant with me

God. Why is there no edit button! The spin rear faces to 18kg

Joke Every Stage - have one each for DC. Goes from birth to roughly 12yrs.

Joie- bloody autocorrect!

We have an Axkid Minikid which is brilliant and feels very safe and sturdy. We also have a Joie Every Stage which DS was in before he exceeded the 18kg harness weight, and he will go back in it again (with the adult seatbelt) once he exceeds the 25kg limit on the minikid.