Written by
Bianca Brady
BAppSc (OT)
APEX Mobility Clinical Education Coordinator

There is no doubt that road safety and travel for children with disabilities and medical conditions, some of our most vulnerable road users, has reached a new level of awareness. Children are at greater risk of injury or death in the event of a car crash as their bodies are not able to withstand the forces in a crash. Even more vulnerable, are children with disabilities and medical conditions. There is still a long way to go, and many are at work to achieve greater awareness and lasting changes across many sectors in Australia.

Promoting and facilitating safe road travel for children with disabilities requires a team approach. There are many considerations to address, and this goal can only be achieved when everyone works together.  Both prescribers and suppliers of special purpose car seats should be highly knowledgeable in this area, with suppliers also having expert knowledge on products. For those entering this specialised field, support and training are recommended. Valuable resources for evidence-based information and training can be found at MACA, Mobility and Accessibility for Children in Australia website (check out macahub.org).  Product training and education offered by APEX Mobility adds to a comprehensive plan to build expertise in your role for this area.    

Clinicians should be following a best practice approach, which includes MACA’s four step process: Assess, Plan, Implement and Review. Both clinicians and suppliers play essential roles in supporting solutions for safer car travel, whether for short-term or long-term needs.

Assess & Plan:

Suppliers and product specialists can begin getting involved in this process by seeking to understand the specific needs of the child and their family. Reaching out to clinicians to discuss findings from their assessments (that have led them to consider a special purpose car seat) is a good way to start identifying suitable solutions and setting up for a successful trial.

When considering a special purpose car seat, a crucial part of the planning process is completing a trial. Suppliers are well positioned to support clinicians and families to work through available options to find a suitable solution. Tips for completing trials with clinicians and families include:

• Ensure you have an in-depth understanding of the manufacturer’s instructions and the correct installation and use of the special purpose car seat.
• Avoid future challenges by installing the special purpose car seat in the vehicle/s correctly for the trial.
• Do not trial the seat uninstalled. Not only can this raise safety concerns during the trial as the base may be unstable, but it also means missing a vital step to assess the suitability of the special purpose car seat’s attachment to the vehicle/s.
• Provide accurate education on both the correct installation and safe use of the seat along with its features.
• Keep an eye out for any inaccuracies when the seat is in use and continue to support the trial by getting family/carers involved, including extended family or carers that may be involved with the child’s weekly travel routine.

Implement & Review:

When preparing for the delivery of a special purpose car seat ensure you allow sufficient time to provide education and training. The aim should be to support the clinician, child, and family to achieve their travel plan goals through correct installation and safe use. They should feel confident in the overall set up and use of the product.

• Aim to complete this step with all family/carers that will be a part of the child’s weekly travel routine.
• Keep an eye out for any errors when observing the family/carers installing and using the seat and any features or options. Offer assistance and further training to eliminate these.
• Offer to attend the review appointment or to return to check for growth and safe use.

Supporting safe road travel is a specialised area of practice for clinicians and suppliers which delivers vital services, products and information for children and families to achieve travel goals. If you are a supplier of special purpose car seats, completing MACA’s Leadership in supporting the transport needs of children with disabilities course should be on your list of things to do, along with product training offered by the APEX Mobility team.

For more information on MACA’s course for suppliers and service organisations click here. Head to the training tab to find out more about the Leadership in supporting the transport needs of children with disabilities course. There are currently free spots available to attend the course if you are a NSW supplier thanks to MACA’s hard work and a grant from the NSW Government, be quick to submit an expression of interest form as these are limited.

To contact APEX Mobility for more information on our range of special purpose seats or to request training please email sales@apexmobility.com.au or call 1300 212 192.