to think there are no safe rear facing car seats for children aged over 4 available in the U.K.

[BunloafAndCrumpets]

I am pretty convinced by the evidence that says children should be rear facing for as long as possible - ideally up to age 7, if they will tolerate it. However after some fairly extensive searching I have only found one car seat that would suit an average size 4+ year old, and that has just been recalled..

Is anyone in the U.K. successfully using a rf seat for an older child and if so, what is it?! It's driving me potty.

Isn't there a joie one?

I ordered from car seat.se and went for the Britax Max Way. It has had an older child in it as well who is relatively tall for her age. I'm sure the isofix version was available in the U.K. Car seat.se were very good and helped me find the best seat for my car, I had a small car when I was buying.

In Europe you get them to 4, not sure you can even get them for older kids unless there are ones specifically designed for SN kids.

My very nearly 6 year old is in a Britax 2 way elite, although us very close to being too tall now. The car seat safety centre (Milton Keynes) can be very helpful

Britax 2 way elite is pretty tall. We turned our just over 4-year-old forward facing because, although not tall, she had a long body and short legs and her head was at the top of the seat.

A rf seat for a 7-year-old would have to be fairly big though - probably wouldn't fit in many cars so limited market?

I think isofix is only rated for up to 18kg (could be wrong on this one) so you'd have to have a belted installation.

As RunningHurts said, the in car safety centre in Milton Keynes is very good on this sort of thing.

Remember that car seats are based on weight rather than age. I have the Joie every stages with is rear facing up to 18kg. A child on the 50th percentile is likely to reach that weight at around 5.5 years old.

Thank you all. The britax one sounds good - will look up crash tests for it. Will also check out the Milton Keynes shop. Have been to their website before i think, and got a bit lost in it thanks again!

Ours joie gos until 4.
Not meaning to derail thread but does anyone else have a child who hates it? I have a daily battle with my 2 year old getting her in the car seat and I mean battle. If I'm not bribing her I am having to force her in then constantly having to stop to put my screaming child's arms back in the staps. She is fine in forward facing car seat in her grandmothers car 😭.
Please give me advice I have to take her in the car as have older children in a school to far away to walk to.

The Britax two way elite (only available in UK from India Car Safety Centre) and the Axkid Mini kid are the two seats that I think last the longest, as they both have tall backs and go up to 25kg. There are a few more seats that go to 25kg but don't last as long if you have a child with a tall torso.

IN car safety centre... not india...bloody phone

I use the axkidd minikid which is RF to 25kg which will take an average weight child to about age 7. It fits in any seat of my Corsa, which isn't a big car. I keep it in the middle as that's the safest spot but anyone taller than 5'8-9" would need to keep it on the passenger side in order to ensure safe leg movements.

Nowhere near 4yrs yet but we've got a Besafe Izi Plus which is belted and up to 25kg.
Figured buying a Scandinavian brand - where they have to be rear facing longer - would mean they had a bit more experience about what works...

Look up car seat advice for mummies and daddies on facebook. There are some people on there with 6 year olds rear facing.

Thank you all! Brilliant advice.

Mine had the Joie one until 5 years old (she's tiny) and just moved into the britax 2 way elite. Bought online from the In car safety centre, reasonable price and she loves it

Mine was RF in a 2 way elite until it became too uncomfortable for her legs, she was running out of room to cross them comfortably. Sometime between 3 and 4, can't remember. Surely an older child would have more trouble unless they were very small?

Axkid.

Good point button. My niece was rear facing until around 4ish, dsis put her forward facing because she started to cry everytime they went in the car saying her legs ached from being crossed all the time. She's average height for her age.

The Axkid Minikid goes up to 25kg and has a tall shell so should last a long time. It has also passed the Swedish Plus test.

I've an axkid minikid and it fits in my Polo.

I do find it a bit strange at the thought of a 7 year old rf. I have a 5 year old who has long legs and I just don't think it would be comfortable at all.

We have the Britax two way elite as well and it's great, easy to install.

I have an average height, smallish weight 5yo and she's fine RF in it.

Two way elite for a slightly short 4.5 year old here. He never complains (and regularly falls asleep in it)

Bit strange to have a child over 4 in a rear facing car seat, a 7 year old, can't imagine it's very comfortable for the child on long car journeys. Surely tgey will be fine in a high back booster at over 5.

We have the axkid minikid and ds1 is 4.2 and 90th centile or above (haven't actually measured him for a while, but he's over 110cm). There's still room for some more growth, and he's perfectly comfortable, but we'll move him to a hbb once ds2 grows out of his cabriofix.