Success!--DSS threw out the seats!

I've been a foster parent about 3.5 years and knew the seats weren't always used properly (but they honestly DO try, just most don't really know) and was pretty sure some were expired. But I usually provide transportation for my DFCs and managed to avoid ever letting them go in DSS's seats...til now. Little man has been using their bucket that I think they bought brand new for him, until last week when she got out of the van and I saw the old winnie the pooh Snugride, same as the one my DFD1 arrived in 3 years ago (I remembered later that THAT one actually belonged to DFD so this was not even the same seat lol). So as DSS worker is walking in I told myself to stay calm and refuse to let him go in that seat. I casually checked the manf date as I adjusted the straps and yep, expired 2 years ago so I just let the worker know it was expired and asked if she had another seat in the van. She said no so I said he'd have to take our seat for today. She thought that was fine and asked me about how many years they're good for etc. and said they'd retire that seat. So I went out to install my seat in her van and pointed out that the FF seat in the van was also expired (I'm thinking like 10 years). Well guess what? She is new there (and very sweet) so it was perfect--she said she'd talk to her manager and have them line up all the seats and check expiration dates! She was appologetic to me and I just assured her I knew she was new and I managed to slip in a sympathetic "they're not even legal and I know DSS doesn't want to be doing anything that's illegal."

Two business days later we happened to have a home visit with a different new caseworker (who is also a new mama) and the head of the foster unit and she told me all the expired seats have been disposed of AND they even have someone providing the $$ for the new seats!! Awesome. So that looked like a good time to throw in the new NHSTA guidelines which they were a bit surprised about but receptive and I casually mentioned that I had seen it posted in the doctor's office of the appt that head of foster unit had gone with me to...she said "we need to get some print outs of that too." !!!!!!!!!!!! Have I mentioned I love my county foster people? We talked about the AAP recs too, and I won't be totally shocked to see them RFing 1 year olds now, maybe 2 and 3. And booster use will extend past the 8 y.o. mark. Horray!

Wow! That's awesome!!!!

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Woh! We don't get to read about such huge, POSITIVE changes like that! Way to go!

Nice!

Wow, that's great!!!

Great job! I'm a foster parent too and I have seen some old seats around. All the babies I've had that needed transporting were always transported to visits in my own infant carseat (except for a couple that came with their own new infant carseats) but once someone came to pick up a baby to move her to a relative in a seat I'm sure was expired. Probably by around five years at least if I'm remembering correctly since it was an old Alpha Omega circa early '00s by the looks. I was impressed it appeared to be properly installed and was rear facing (baby was 11 months and over 20lbs). We have to take a carseat class here, so that's good and recently had our annual meeting we had a public health nurse talk about how kids need to rear face to age 2 minimum and talk about appropriate booster use. Yay!