| | | | | | | | | | Safe Kids Worldwide is Recruiting! Safe Kids Worldwide is recruiting and hiring for its Road Safety team. We are looking for dynamic individuals to fill the Certification Advisor and Senior Program Associate positions. To learn more about the opportunities, click here: | | | | | | ALERT: Stop Spinning! If you are in your CPS online profile and the page won't load (spinning circle), it is probably because you are using Internet Explorer for the browser. Internet Explorer is not compatible with some web pages because it is no longer supported/updated. The solution is to use a different browser such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge. | | | | | | Safe Kids Worldwide Team Cert is Here to Help! The Safe Kids team is available to help you with recertification, course management, CEU audits and any other certification-related issues. | | | | | | Moderated versus Non-Moderated Webinar Webinars continue to increase as many are still not able to hold in-person sessions. A Frequently asked question by administrators of webinars is, “What is the difference between a moderated and a non-moderated webinar and can they both count for a CEU?” Both moderated and non-moderated courses can qualify for CEUs. Moderated courses feature one or more facilitators and course participants have the ability to ask them questions. Non-moderated courses often are PowerPoint presentations or recorded webinars that are made available to individuals to view and watch on their own, without interacting with others. If you complete a non-moderated session or course, in order to qualify as a CEU, it must have an assessment component, such as a quiz, to receive credit. A passing grade is 80 percent. So, whether you hold a moderated on non-moderated session, they can still count as a CEU and even though the pre-approval application is optional, it makes it easier for technicians if they are audited. Pre approval Form Be safe and stay healthy! Submitted by Stephanie Heitsch, Certification Associate, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Port Orange, FL.) | | | | Spread the Word … Don’t let your friend’s certification expire Friends don’t let their friend’s certifications expire. Teamwork is the backbone of being a CPST and during these tumultuous times we need to be there to support each other in many different ways. As some of us know there has been a policy addendum in the way technicians can recertify; namely completing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in place of their 5 required seat checks. Even if you have already completed a few seat checks you can replace the remaining with CEUs. An example would be if you completed 3 of your 5 required seat checks, you can now complete 2 additional CEUs (different from any previous CEUs completed) to fulfill the requirement. Safe Kids also realizes that due to the cancellation of so many certification courses teaching hours have also been difficult to complete. CPSTIs can now replace teaching hours with Community Education hours (which are different than CEUs). The National Child Passenger Safety Board has many webinars available on their website to fulfill this requirement. Below is a chart to help you determine how many community education hours you would need if using this alternative option.  | | The reason I am requesting help to spread the word about this important information is because we know not all technicians log into their email accounts to read the CPS Express. All back issues of the CPS Express can be found on the certification website. So, when you are having a conversation or even texting with someone who is a CPST ask if they know about the change and discuss when they are due to expire. If someone is within 4 months of expiration, then encourage them to complete the recertification process (they will not lose any certification time). Hopefully, the more discussions we have with our fellow CPSTs the more likely they are to recertify. Remember we are all in this TOGETHER! If you have any questions about your recertification options please contact customer service at cpscert@safekids.org. Submitted by Debbie Landoskey, Quality Assurance Specialist, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Ormond Beach, Fla.) | | | | | | 2021 LATCH Manual  Hooray! The challenges of 2020 did not derail the 2021 LATCH Manual project— Safe Ride News Publications is happy to announce the twelfth edition. Many thanks are due to all the car seat and vehicle manufacturer representatives who dedicated time to provide information for the latest edition. SRN began shipping 2021 manuals at the beginning of January. This latest LATCH Manual has the updates CPSTs count on for every new edition: all the new cars and car seats, plus many updates from manufacturers about existing car seat and vehicle models that make usage details clearer, consistent, and/or more comprehensive. As always, Safe Ride News appreciates CPSTs for their feedback from the field, which helps power many of the model-specific improvements of each new edition. Based on experiences over the past year, SRN was more careful than ever to include details in the LATCH Manual to assist technicians when teaching caregivers virtually or remotely. For instance, this edition includes augmented information on vehicle body type, seating arrangements, and number of doors so that CPSTs can better envision the vehicle scenario when education is not provided in-person. In addition, all product notes were carefully reviewed and edited to be as clear as possible for virtual checkups. For 2021, some vehicle manufacturers gave more detail on seatback angle for installations using LATCH, and several provided warnings about proper positioning of split seats, as well as updated guidance about the use of LATCH with booster seats. Among the many revisions to the LATCH-use chapters are new sections on aftermarket LATCH parts, and inspection of LATCH after a crash, and proper cleaning. All sections of the book were reviewed and, as needed, revised in order to provide accurate information in a consistent format that uses tech-friendly language. SRN consciously maintained a layout for the 2021 manual that’s the same as 2019 so that CPSTs can continue to use the skills they’ve developed for efficiently locating the information it contains. Recorded webinars on how to use the LATCH Manual that are posted on the CPS Board and Safe Ride News websites continue to be useful tools for learning how to use the new edition, as well. As always, the updated edition is current as of January 1; on that date, the lavender manual was officially retired. Going forward, refer only to the GREEN 2021 LATCH Manual when working with caregivers. Submitted by Denise Donaldson, CPST-I, Safe Ride News Publications, Publisher/Editor | | | | | | Common CPS Certification Questions Stephanie, Wardell and I often get questions about certification, recertification and auditing, so we thought we would share what questions others in the CPS community are asking. - I was able to complete a few seat checks, so can I now complete CEUs in place of the remaining seat checks?
- YES, one CEU would be equivalent to one seat check. Simply ensure your seat checks and CEU alternatives total 5.
- How do I log Seat Check alternative CEUs?
- When completing CEUs in place of seat checks they should be logged into your online profile under Seat Check Alternative CEUs; not Add/Review CEUs.
- Will I be audited on my CEUs in place of seat checks?
- YES, you will need to show proof for ALL CEUs submitted for your recertification.
- I completed all my recertification requirements, but it does not indicate where to pay my recertification fee.
- You may only complete your recertification (pay fee) if you are within 4 months of your expiration date. If you try to recertify in January but do not expire until May, you will need to wait another month before it will display Recertify/Pay under Action.
 - What are my options for keeping technician’s skills sharp with limited to no public contact restrictions set by my employer?
- Keeping skills fresh does not always have to be about seat check events. Communication skills are just as important as hands on skills. Encouraging technicians to conduct remote education or offer virtual car seat inspections will keep the communication skills and technical knowledge sharp. You can find videos and a tool kit on the Safe Kids certification website under Resources/FAQs.
Submitted by Debbie Landoskey, Quality Assurance Specialist, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Ormond Beach, Fla.) | | | | | | | | | | Online Courses A variety of webinars are available online and free of charge. Learn more. | | Upcoming Safe Kids Webinars Safe Kids is now using Zoom webinars. If you are not able to use Zoom or miss one, most webinars are record and posted on the CPS Board website. Pickups: Meeting the Tethering Challenge
Thursday, January 21, 2021
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET (1 CEU)
Register Now More webinars coming soon! Updates posted on Facebook. | | | | | | | For Instructors Teaching Hours and Community Education Webinars: Build More Options The challenge of earning our required 20 teaching hours with the drastic reduction of CPST courses is why Safe Kids has provided an alternative. As described in the Policy Addendum: CPST Recertification and COVID-19, CPST Instructors can replace unearned teaching hour with a series of approved community education webinars on the CPS Board website. These webinars focus on improving course management and communication. While there are quite a few to choose from, you may be able to add to the video library. As CPST instructors, you have special experience and expertise that you can share as webinars. They don’t need to be long. For example, Microaggressions: A mini webinar on tiny insults and dismissals and Using Technology Curbside: Creating an Electronic Toolkit are each just 20 minutes. If you have tips and tricks to share, let us know! We’d love to record a webinar so other CPSTs and CPSTIs can learn from you! Email Stephanie with your ideas, suggestions, or to volunteer! Though CPSTs can now substitute CEUs for seat checks, the seat check option remains the gold standard, real or mock, in person or virtual. Now is a great time to review the Seat Check Guidelines from the CPS Certification website: Seat Check Guidelines: Real or Mock, In Person or Virtual The following guidelines were approved by the Certification/Recertification committee of the National CPS Board: - During a seat check, it is always best to have the child present.
- Instructors and technicians are strongly encouraged to make every effort to do an in-person safety seat checkup.
- BEST: Observing interactions and education with caregivers is best practice and is the best way for an instructor or technician proxy to assess the communication and technical skills of the technician/instructor.
- BETTER: If an actual caregiver is not available, the instructor/technician proxy may choose a mock scenario, where a colleague acts out the part of the parent.
- GOOD: The CPST adjusts and installs the seat with a doll and then are asked questions about the installation and education they would provide. They may be asked to demonstrate adjusting the seat.
- It is strongly encouraged that you enter your seat checks throughout your certification cycle, rather than waiting until near your certification expiration date.
Real or mock, the verifying instructor or technician proxy must feel confident in your ability to communicate accurate information to a parent or caregiver and double-check that the installation and paperwork are correct. Real or mock, an actual vehicle must always be used for seat checks. For more information: Please refer to our Policies & Procedures Manual. https://cert.safekids.org/i-am-a-tech/recertification/seat-checks | | | | | | Questions? Comments? Concerns? Safe Kids Worldwide
CPS Certification
1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20037
CPScert@safekids.org
Phone: 202-875-6330 Ideas and Article Submissions Advocates and manufacturers are welcome to submit articles, or suggestions for articles, to the CPS Express! Send your ideas and submissions to cpscert@safekids.org. All submissions may be edited for content and length. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
