Car restraints when childminding

[kelli22]

Hi everyone,
I know this is a fairly boring subject - esp after the story about the AP! lol but please can i have some advice or thoughts, thanks
I'm thinking of sarting cm in november and im trying to think of everything so my idea for how many children i can fit into my car - its a fiesta so space is limited.
i thought i could have the baby in car seat in the front with me - so no poking or waking the baby can go on while im driving - makes sense.
then put 2 booster seats in the back with my dd in the middle with no booster seat unless i only have to put 1 mindee in the car then of course my dd will go in the other seat. Just because i can't really put a mindee in the backseat without a booster seat can i?
could 3 children over the age of 3 go in the back without booster seats? my dd is 5 btw.

This arrangement would only be for short distances like school and back.....

would this work?

The rules are changing all children under 1.5m or the age of 11 must go in booster seats....NCMA have advised childminders that they should comply with this rule from now (it was in the magazine last summer/autumn - I think)

This means that your DD will have to go back in a booster when the law comes into effect.....good luck

I had only just let my dd (now 7) out of a booster last year and when I heard the new law coming in I just put her straight back into one.

It's a bummer - but then so is not using a mobile while driving...for everyones safety

Thanks Katie - mac
so i can only look after 1 mindee at a time damn!
that won't earn me anything, ill have to walk everywhere and its an hour round trip to the school without a car theres no buses either, that will be fine in summer but winter will be a nightmare, i'll just have to make sure i only look after 1 mindee at times i need to go out - or get a people carrier- which lets face it isn't goin to happen

what does everyone else do? or what do you plan on doing?

Well I have a people carrier.....but I'm in the process of asking OFSTED to increase my nos to 9 under 5's and a total of 12

Don't know what I'll do then

But even with a 2nd car I may not fit them all in the car (5 in people carrier, 4 (not) in smaller car) very expensive etc....

what is this new law coming in and when? i am a nanny and this is the first i have heard about it and what to know what effect it will have

The NCMA site is down and all I could find is this
www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/childcarseats/childcarseats.htm
Sorry - I can't find the right info...I think it's Dec this year that the law is going to change - but I could be wrong

thankyou for info, just looked on website and the only reference i found said by May 2006

Try getting a 9yo bot into one.....it's a nightmare but he's only 1.3m, so it was a case of 'sit on booster or don't get in car & I'll phone your mum at work'....I didn't like it one bit

Would 3 boosters definitely not fit in the back? What model Fiesta do you have? Also do you have the passenger airbag switched off?

i have quite an old fiesta and unless i can find narrower booster seats i will def not get 3 in. i don't have an airbag.

does anyone else think 1.5m is abit extreme, im only 1.6 myself! i'm lucky they havent got me sitting on 1

My mum used to have a Fiesta sized car and looked after my sisters 3 year old twins who were in high backed booster seats and my daughter went in a proper car seat that fitted a lap belt in the middle.
This went fine in hers.
Also you can get narrow car seats that are suitable from 9 mths to 4 years, mothercare will fit them in your car to see if they fit
Hope this helps
xx

Sorry to post slightly off topic, but is the new rule a case of being over 11 or being taller than 1.5m? As in one or the other? I hope so, because I'm only 1.45m, and don't think that I could get my ample rear into a booster seat!

i know im not far off it myself im not entirely sure what the new restrictions will be but i have a feeling its not very well thought out - like alot of government ideas (not saying theyre all rubbish but some are!)

@ vwvic - just imagine driving sitting on a boaster seat!

Here's what I've found on a Press Release : 4. In accordance with Directive 2003/20/EC, all Member States will be required to ensure that by May 2006, children up to age 11 and 150 cms tall use an appropriate child restraint in most vehicles. The Department will be carrying out a consultation about this in due course.

It uses the word: AND So what does that mean, does it mean that everyone under 150cms has to use an appropriate child restraint?

Found the Directive

Children less than 150 cm in height occupying M1, N1, N2 and N3 vehicles fitted with safety systems shall be restrained by an integral or non-integral child-restraint system, within the meaning of Article 1(4)(a) and (b), suitable for the child's mass as defined in Article 1(3);

Any lawyers in the house, or anyone else fluent with this sort of stuff able to translate?

lol jothorpe - Thanks for trying to help, isn't it just typical they give us directions that might aswell be in japanese for all i can tell im still non the wiser - helllllpppppppp

are short people going to have to go in booster seats?

do all children have to go in booster seats if so how do you fit 3 along the back seat of a fiesta?

if anyone out the knows the answers please post

If you are under 11 and under 1.5m - you go in a booster
If you are over 11 or over 1.5m - you don't

Don't know about fiesta - but our car only has 2 seats in the back - if we want to take 3 children we use the people carrier

Thanks Katie Mac. I'll get there in the end, I'm just worrying about everything you know how it is when you're just starting out i'm sure. To be honest i'm freaking out a little bit this week,
just wondering if i'm strong enough to be able to make it a success- some support from from dp would be appreciated right now. Things at work aren't going too great which i guess doesn't do much for my confidence- wow im letting it all out today, i'll shut up or i wont stop!

Kelli, I don't know if you've looked at other posts or not but I recently posted some links to specific Childminder support sites, which may be helpful for you, and anyone else thinking of, or going through registration as a childminder.

MessageThread

Aww Kelli, don't worry I started with 2 P/T ....I now have 10 on my books (and 3 F/T places to fill (out of 9))

Just concentrate on the little things - keep calm and CAT me if you want....If you want some support I'll try my best.

I got support when I was starting...so I'll pass it on