Is this car seat even legal?

[OnMyJourney]

My mum has a couple of grandchildren she spoke to me about getting the a car seat for her car because she has two grandchildren one being my daughter and my sisters daughter they're both similar ages and she sometimes has the girls and takes them out so she thought instead of us always having to lug heavy car seats around to put them in her car she would just get a car seat for hers which we thought great sounds amazing makes life easier, I sent her a couple of really good branded 360 spin type car seats which can rear face and so on. She said she'd have a look and a few days later she said she ordered one so I didn't need to bring mine down so I was like great, I took my 6 month old daughter down to her car and the car seat looked like the picture attached! Like oh my how is that even legal? It's not rear facing, it has no support no padding nothing! She then got offended when I said I'll go get my car seat she's not sitting in that! Like whattt? Someone help me out here surely that isn't legal??

It looks like a padded insert to put into a car seat rather than a car seat itself.

Gosh not for a baby. My kids are older 9-13 and possibly for them as growing out standard car seats.

It says it's a car seat safety mat FOR car seats, not that it is a car seat

That’s not legal for sure.
I think maybe sending her 360 spin top branded (and probably really expensive ones) was a bit over the top. If she is having buy two that would be a massive expense and she probably felt overwhelmed (unless you are paying). Why not go to Halfords with her and choose a more basic but perfectly legal one for her car for what sounds like occasional use.

you are perfectly entitled to want your baby in the best quality seat but it n that case I think you still need to lug it from your car or finance the one for your mums car yourself.

Howe we the seat pictured is dangerous so explain to your mum that there are safety standards and help her

I’d be questioning why your DM only values your children’s safety at £14…

No it’s not legal and certainly not for a 6 months old as they have to be rear facing. There’s no way I’d let my 3 year old I’m that let alone a baby.

This. I wouldn’t be leaving DC with her if she thinks this is suitable.

God no, that isn’t appropriate for a 6 month old and would be pretty lacklustre for a 9 year old.

the older generations in my family (my in-laws are older than my parents) just don’t get car seats. Utter panic if I give my 9 month old a strip of steak, terrified if they don’t wear socks, dust under the sofa will make them sick….but also bought a shitty booster seat for their car and frequently try to just put her on a lap.

🤣 this has to be a joke

That's not even a car seat 😂

@PickledPurplePickle I can see what you mean but it is the actual car seat it's actually shocking 🫣

That is ridiculous. It's not fixed to anything? It provides no structured protection from impact. The whole point is that the car's structure is not enough.

Of course that isn't legal

Agree with the posters saying I wouldn't be leaving my baby with her, she is stupid

Because they grew up in a time of no car seats (and sometimes not even seatbelts).

@OnMyJourney I don’t know if you’d already offered to pay but you need to be the one paying for the car seat really. You and your sister could go halves if it’s for both your children.

How are dgc safety not worth more than £14

Absolutely not for a baby! My mum definitely doesn’t see the value in extended rear facing because it wasn’t a thing when we were children but wouldn’t have thought about something like this when the children were that little. On a side note I bought the Joie Steadi for my mum. It’s really light and easy to take in and out and lasts up to 18kg rear facing and a lot more budget friendly that the 360 ones.

I can only imagine that is designed for other markets with less strict safety standards. I do see now that it attaches to the seat but still

Agree that you need to just buy the car seat you want for her. Definitely don’t use that thing!!

It's not even a car seat, just an insert thing.

And yes, I know the photos show it being used as a seat but you can put photos of anything on a fake internet ad, doesn't mean it's legal.

Where did she even buy them from?

That’s terrible that she bought that when you’d sent her links to decent ones, so she KNOWS what kind of seat you expect and she went for that? Because it’s cheap presumably? If she can’t afford it / doesn’t want to spend money then why offer to get a seat at all, just continue borrowing yours when needed. It’s awkward but I’d be really questioning her judgment now and a bit worried about leaving my baby with her… that said, I do 100% think the grandparent generation don’t ‘get’ the importance of good car seats. My mum has been keen with all of mine to turn them forward facing asap even when I’ve said they are too young.

I bought a decent seat to go in my mums car, it’s ended up expensive but I’d rather that than worry about them being in a rubbish seat. I think you’ll have to do that if you want your mum babysitting again! If she doesn’t have both grandchildren at the same time could you go halves with your sister on one?

It definitely isn't a seat. The description is of a mat. In any case find a reasonably priced actual rear facing seat and send your mum the link. I think expecting her to buy the swivel luxury item was perhaps a bit much.

As the description under the photo says, it's a "car seat mat", not a car seat.

I can see why someone without children might get confused.

I agree with the poster who suggested taking her to Halfords and getting something there. Sending links of 360 rotating ones was probably a bit much though. At 6 months how hard is it to swap the seats - perhaps wait for the next stage.

Bloody hell my child would be going no where near that, that is appalling! However it probably didn’t help sending your Mum links to such top of the range seats, surely you can suggest a safe but slightly more budget friendly seat or just buy it yourself.

They probably use those in China if they don't follow the same safety laws that we do. Just to say, my SIL and I went halves on a new car seat for our MIL, I think you should buy the car seat

Definitely not legal. Is the website like shein, Temu etc?