Child restraint rental/loan/purchase programme

Brief operational policy

Rationale for programme

• Local community need supported by statistics, surveys and/or other evidence.

Priority groups

• High-risk communities that have low child restraint usage.
• Those who may have difficulty accessing mainstream child restraint schemes.

Partnerships and location

• Location of the programme and partnerships will be considered prior to funding approval.

Type of programme/service provided

• Rent to buy/loan/purchase of child car seats.
• Interest-free time payment.
• Education/information component.

Education component

• Compulsory to include education component with distribution of programme.
• Consists of:
  - information and demonstration of seat installation
  - explanation to clients of road safety risks and benefits of correct use/installation
  - information regarding correct type of seat for age and size of child.
• Optional additions (some or all of these may be carried out):
  - workshops, seminars, presentations, displays, event attendance, car seat clinics.

Funding

• Joint funding with other agencies can be approved. Any other funding must be declared at the time of application.

• Budget applications may include some or all of the following:
  - administration
  - payment of the co-ordinator
  - purchase of child car and booster seats
  - development of resources
  - promotion and advertising
  - technical training and annual re-certification.

Systems/records

• The following records will be kept:
  - client details - address, car seat, payment progress
  - stock control - number of seats, where they are, number available.

Training

• All co-ordinators for new programmes are to be technically trained.
• The Safe2Go training programme will be attended for training. If not available, then the LTSA regional office will identify an approved trainer for their area.

Monitoring

• This will take place as part of the LTSA's contractual obligations.

Guidelines

• LTSA guidelines are to be consulted and followed.

Evaluation

• A programme evaluation is to be submitted to the LTSA at the end of the financial year or within a month of completion of the programme, whichever is sooner.
• Evaluation forms (see child restraint guidelines) are to be completed by 50 percent of the clients and are to be sent to LTSA national office (via the regional office) once the contractor has taken any useful data from them.
• Evaluations should show that the service is delivering the compulsory part of the education component.