Take part in a study to help us improve child car seat fitting services in rural and remote Australia

What is the study?

This study will see if we can do child car seat fitting services online. We know that fitting services improve correct use and safety of child car seats. We also know that some parents living in rural and remote areas find it hard to access these services. If we show that online fitting services work well, this can make it easier for parents in rural and remote areas to get fitting services.

Are you eligible?

1. Do you have a child and want to use a child car seat fitting service?
2. Do you live in a rural or remote part of Victoria, and able to visit a Neighbourhood Houses location that is taking part in the study?
3. Do you own a child seat?
4. Do you speak English well enough to understand this document and the instructions given by the fitting service?
5. Do you have a mobile phone or tablet with a camera able to access a web browser (eg, Google Chrome, Safari)?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to the above, we would love for you to take part in our study.

If you have previously used a child seat fitting service or online training video, you will not be able to take part in the study.

What’s involved?

If you decide to participate, you will be randomly put into one of three groups. The study activities will differ a little bit depending on which group you are in.

Whichever group you will be randomly assigned to, we ask that you refrain from mentioning any details about the group that you are in, to the restraint fitter or to the researchers conducting the phone survey. This will help us collect more accurate information.

Questionnaire: We will ask you some questions about your contact details (so we can remind you about your follow-up visit), where you live, your child’s age, and what car seat you have. This will take approximately 15 minutes.

Groups:

• Group 1 (Online video): We will send you a link to watch a 10 minute educational video to explain the principles of installing a child seat and restraining the child appropriately.
• Group 2 (Fitting service in-person): You will go to a fitting service in person at a local Neighbourhood house.
• Group 3 (Virtual car seat check): You will get a fitting service using an app, that lets the technician see and interact with the app. The app is available via a website, so you will only need to open a browser window and allow access to your camera and microphone, but do not need to install any software. The fitting service centre will have Wi-Fi you can use for this.

Groups 2 and 3 will be done by a restraint fitter, and after the fitting service is done, the restraint fitter will check the car seat afterwards for any errors to make sure everything is safe. The fitting service will take 15-20 minutes

Phone survey: After you have fitted your seat, we will call you to ask you a series of 10 questions that focus on different parts of using and installing the car seat. This will let us know how helpful the material or service was in helping you understand how to use your car seat correctly.

Follow-up survey: This survey can be completed online prior to your second fitting (or first fitting if you’re in Group 1). The survey contains questions on how you use your car seat day-to-day, the information or services you’ve accessed relating to car seat safety and overall thoughts about the material or service that was delivered to you.

If you’re in Group 2 or Group 3, we’ll ask you to come back to receive another free check of the car seat in 3 months. And that’s it!

If you want more specific details on the research study, including how we store and manage any information we receive, the benefits and potential risks to this study, we strongly encourage you to read this information sheet. It’ll be very helpful in helping you decide whether this study is a good fit for you (or not).

Do I have to take part in the study?

No, participation in this research study is voluntary. If you do not want to take part, you do not have to. If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the study at any stage.