As a respite caregiver for a very young foster child, having a safe seat was important. But, car seats can be very expensive and the foster mother just didn't have the additional resources to purchase a new car seat for my vehicle after purchasing one for herself. Additionally, I have a VERY small car. We looked into car seat clinics and were happy to find that they exist almost everywhere. First, things first: What is a Car Seat Safety Clinic:
"Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and trained volunteers will check for correct installation, damage, recalls, and size and age appropriateness. Each seat takes about 30 minutes to check but the peace of mind will last"
I wasn't convinced at first, but the technician managed to fit three children's seats into the rear of my car. Nice, but the best part was that she followed all of the instructions to make sure that they were installed PROPERLY. The other wonderful thing about these clinics is that some operate on a sliding scale and we were able to get our infant car seat at a considerable discount, based on what we could afford. Safety is important and is key at these clinics. I found this to be a valuable resource that anyone who is fostering little ones should look into. It may not seem like a difficult thing, but I really don't think I would have installed those seats properly and the technician really knew what to look for.
