At what point has she outgrown the seat?

[brachy]

DD (age 6) is harnessed in a Britax Elite. The top of her head is over the top of the seat now (only just) but the straps on her shoulders are now not sitting level with her shoulders. She has just had a growth spurt so the straps sit slightly below her shoulders.

Where do the straps need to sit to remain safe? She is currently 17kgs. I guess the next step is a high back booster. I'm dreading switching her to a HBB, she just doesn't seem like she'd be as safe in it. Any recommendations on a super safe HBB?

Many thanks.

head should not be over the top of the car seat so time to move on

get a maxi cosi rodi or similar high back booster

my 6 year old has been in one since she was 3 (my 10 and 13 year olds before her but the 16 year old was out of child seats at 5)

my 4 and 6 year olds are in maxi cosi rodi xr seats

sorry dd is 7, not 6!

I think with forward facing seats it's the top of their ears or their eye level. But the straps as you describe them she has grown out of.

She will be fine in a booster at age 6 :) Get one with good side impact protection and you'll probably feel safer. But I seem to remember a study which showed after the age of 3 that children are just as safe on a booster cushion as they are in a harnessed seat.

It is safer for her to be in a seat appropriate for her age which has less physical protection, than one which is more physically protective, but she has grown out of.