| | | | | | | | | | ALERT: Stop Spinning! If you are in your CPS online profile and the page will not load (spinning circle), it is probably because you are using Internet Explorer as your browser. Internet Explorer is not compatible with some web pages because it is no longer supported/updated by Microsoft. 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. | | | | | | Welcome Beth Warren Hi everyone! Let me introduce myself. I’m Beth Warren, the new Certification Advisor for Safe Kids Worldwide. I oversee the Certification Program and work to support YOU – our “boots on the ground”. I became a CPST in 1998 and a CPSTI in 1999 when I developed and coordinated the Occupant Safety Program from the Texas Department of Public Safety. I’ve worked with technicians and instructors all across Texas and in other states – staffing inspection events, teaching the certification class, the school bus class, taking the children with special needs class and speaking at many conferences and updates. I currently sit on the Board of Directors for the Texas Heatstroke Task Force and will be joining the National Child Passenger Safety Board at the May meeting. I look forward to working with various partners to reinvigorate our Certification Program as we begin to transition out of the pandemic. I have a passion for Child Passenger Safety, just as you do, and will work to help you become the best educators as we set the gold standard in education and service. | | | | New Webpage for Guidance on Fake CRs These days, we face an unprecedented surge of fake, counterfeit, and decoy devices being marketed as real child restraints. Although phony car seats have popped up from time to time in the past, the Internet—especially the rise in third-party resellers through behemoths like Amazon and Walmart—has fueled a rise in this dangerous problem. Unfortunately, today it’s not uncommon to see things like flimsy RF-only models without proper labeling, knock-offs of real models made of inferior materials, and even unapproved aftermarket LATCH components for vehicles. Because of this, it’s become increasingly important for CPSTs to be aware of the problem and include warnings about it in caregiver education. Several organizations have produced materials to help train CPSTs and/or alert the public, and the government has beefed up its reporting options. Therefore, to provide CPSTs with a handy location to access many of the available materials in one place, Safe Ride News recently developed a webpage that consolidates the various links. From the www.saferidenews.com homepage, find this page by clicking “Unsafe Products: Report/Learn/Teach,” under Resources. You can also go straight to the page by entering the URL www.saferidenews.com/unsafe-products in your browser. The page is freely available to the public, so caregivers looking for assistance online can utilize it. However, it’s prepared particularly for CPSTs, as it provides information geared for techs to learn about this topic, as well as materials that programs and individual techs can distribute to caregivers. It also includes links for reporting CRs that are not legit, which can be useful to caregivers and CPSTs alike. Two excellent warning handouts, suitable for distributing to anyone in the public, are posted, courtesy of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. and the Maryland Kids in Safety Seats (KISS) program. (The KISS handout comes in a version that may be customized with any agency’s logo.) To further train CPSTs, there are links to a comprehensive MACPS document, Safe Ride News articles on this topic, and links to exposés that have been featured in recent years in the national press. There’s also a link to view the webinar “How to Tell if a Car Seat Is Legit—or NOT!”, a 2020 Lifesavers Conference workshop featuring speakers Sarah Haverstick (Goodbaby), Jennifer Rubin (SK Greater Sacramento), and Dr. Beth Woolfe (NHTSA). This webinar is worth 1.5 CEUs for recertification by taking a quiz at https://www.cpsboard.org/recertification/(where the full webinar is also posted). CPSTs should also note that the 2021 Lifesavers Conference featured another session on this topic, which registered attendees can view online from Lifesavers for a limited time. Since this is a collective resource for the CPS community, please send an email to denise@saferidenews.com if you know of another related resource that you think should be added to this page. Submitted by Denise Donaldson, CPST-I / Safe Ride News Publications | | Technician Proxy Technician proxies can review and approve seat checks for recertification. We created this role to help bridge the gap in parts of the country where there are few certified instructors. Once approved as a technician proxy, you will remain one until your CPS certification expires. Being a technician proxy is not associated with being a Senior Checker. Anyone who has been CPS-certified for at least six months may apply to be a technician proxy. When you are eligible to apply, you will see the action item "Apply to be a Technician Proxy" in your CPS online profile. Once approved, your status will continue to be "Certified Technician" but you will see “Extra Training: Technician Proxy” in your online profile. How to Become a Technician Proxy There are two steps to becoming a technician proxy: - Submit a complete application, along with a total of two testimonials. The application is available on this website under Resources/Forms.
- Pay the $25 fee.
Along with your application, you will need to include signed testimonials from one certified instructor and a technician or second instructor. Each testimonial is to be completed following the Instructor or Technician’s observation as you conduct at least three real (not mock) seat checks with caregivers and at least 2 seat checks working with other Technicians as a senior/final checker. They will use these observations to evaluate your readiness and ability to (1) provide suitable and appropriate feedback and (2) pass and fail seat checks appropriately. Thanks for your interest in becoming a technician proxy! Submitted by Stephanie Heitsch, Certification Associate, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Port Orange, FL.) | | | | | | May is Child Passenger Safety Technician Month It is almost that time of year again – CPST month!! Every year in May we highlight and celebrate our technicians – offering them lots of support to maintain their certification. You may ask yourself, “What can I do this year to help my local techs and friends?” Reach out to them! Ask them what they are lacking in the process to complete their recertification. Do they need CEUs, are they missing some or all of their seat checks, or a community event? Many instructors now offer the opportunity to sign off on seat checks via a virtual platform, so check with the instructors in your area to see what’s available, or as it’s virtual, network with an instructor online anywhere. Last year the alternative seat check option was made available – CEUs can be exchanged for a seat check on a one-for-one basis – make sure these are new CEUs though, not ones already entered for your required six (6) CEUs. Community Education – we have online webinars for those also. Please encourage your local technicians to access the resources available, we need to retain as many of our techs as possible. It has definitely been a struggle during the pandemic for many, but we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, there is quite an uptick in the number of classes being registered and applications for Instructor Candidacy. We’ll be using social media to highlight and support CPST Month – please join us! Create a weekly habit to check in on your techs and ask them what YOU can do for them. By working together and encouraging our techs – we can support the most important work we do – keeping the kids in our communities safe as they ride in our vehicles. Submitted by Beth Warren, Certification Advisor, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Austin, TX.) | | | | | | Policy Addendum: CPST Recertification and COVID-19 In September 2020, Safe Kids Certification provided additional options to comply with the seat check and teaching hours recertification requirements for child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) and child passenger safety technician instructors (CPSTIs). Many communities are still limiting in-person events and it may be difficult to meet these recertification requirements. Seat Check Requirement: 5 instructor reviewed car seat checks (RF Only, RF Convertible, FF with Harness, BPB, and Installation with LATCH) New Option: Submit one additional CEU in place of a reviewed seat check. You can submit up to 5 additional CEUs to replace the 5 reviewed car seat checks or any combination of seat checks and CEUs. If you are submitting CEUs to replace all 5 seat checks, you will need 11 different CEUs.  Logging Seat Checks Activity: After logging into your online profile, go to the Certification Detail link at the bottom of your profile and select the appropriate action. Select the “Add/Submit Seat Checks” if you are entering a reviewed seat check and “Seat Check Alternative CEUs” if you are using a CEU to replace the seat check.  CPST Instructor Teaching Hours Requirements: 20 teaching hours New Option: Submit additional Community Education hours in place of teaching hours. The number of required Community Education Hours will depend on the number of hours needed to reach the 20 hours. Choose from the approved Community Education teaching hours found at: https://www.cpsboard.org/recertification/#1555528055666-5b57f973-234c. Logging Teaching Hours Activity: After logging into your online profile, go to the Certification Detail link at the bottom of your profile and select the Teaching Hours Alternative. Enter each community education webinar separately. Community Education Requirement: CPSTs and CPSTIs are required to participate in community education. Options: - Two-hour car seat check event, OR
- Four hours of community education (Presentations to non-CPSTs: parents, educators, kids, organizations, etc.), OR
- Attend (live or online) a one-hour (minimum) educational session.
 The Policy Addendum and FAQs can be found at: Policy Addendum: CPST Recertification and COVID-19: https://live-skcert.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/2020-09/COVID%20Recert%20Policy%20Update%20FINAL.pdf FAQs: https://live-skcert.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/2020-09/2020-9-14%20Recert%20Support_FAQs.pdf Submitted by Angela Osterhuber, Ed.M, Director, PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project (Media, PA.) | | | | Increase Your CPS Education Skills Through Virtual Seat Check Events! COVID-19 restrictions resulted in most CPS in-person events being cancelled or suspended and changed how we did things in Child Passenger Safety. Virtual CPS education became the “new normal” and helping caregivers by phone or video platform enabled CPST/I volunteers to continue to teach families how to keep their child passengers safe. Although virtual check-up events will never completely replace face-to-face education, they have become a new tool to add to the Technician toolbox! Caregivers appreciate the ability to “meet” individually with an expert to learn how to install their car seat in their vehicle and harness their child (or a doll) in the seat correctly, from the comfort and safety of their own home. Technicians who have conducted Virtual CPS education have increased their educational skills and have enjoyed empowering parents through “Learn, Practice, Explain.” Whether you are experienced in providing virtual CPS education, or are new to the idea, the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) Regional Child Passenger Safety Network would like to invite you to participate as a Technician in upcoming National Video Seat Check Events: June 12, September 25 (National Seat Check Saturday), and November 13, 2021. To sign up as a CPST/I, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b094aa5a92aa5f49-technician1 or contact claire.myer@maryland.gov or Bob Wall bob.wall@nunababy.com Virtual CPS education is here to stay, so we encourage you to give it a try! Submitted by M. Claire Myer, MS Ed, CPST/I, Assistant Coordinator, Maryland Kids In Safety Seats | | | | | | | | Conferences PrevCon Registration Now Open! Safe Kids Worldwide is happy to announce that registration for PrevCon 2021 is now open! Early bird registration rates will be offered until May 1, 2021. Click here to register and to view more details about the conference, including a draft schedule and preliminary session topics. | | Online Courses A variety of continuing education webinars, to fulfill both the CEU requirement as well as seat check alternatives, are available online and free of charge. Learn more. Community Education webinars, which can fulfill your Community Education requirements or be used as teaching hour alternatives, are also available online at cpsboard.org. | | 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 recorded and posted on the CPS Board website. LATCH Lessons from the LATCH Manual
Thursday, May 27, 2021
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET (1 CEU)
Register Now More webinars coming soon! Updates posted on Facebook. | | | | | | | | | | | Informational Webinars on the Hybrid National CPST Certification Training Curriculum The National Child Passenger Safety Board is actively working on a hybrid version of the 2020 National Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Training curriculum. This curriculum will consist of e-learning, virtual and in-person components. The anticipated release date is in late 2021. Join Members of the National Child Passenger Safety Board in May 2021 to learn more about the hybrid course design and get a bonus sneak peek at sample segments from the e-learning modules. Four webinars, all with the SAME content, are scheduled. To sign up for a webinar, visit cpsboard.org/hybrid. - WED., May 12 @ 2 pm ET
- FRI., May 14 @ 11 am ET
- TUES., May 18 @ 11 am ET
- TH, May 20 @ 2 pm ET
NOTE: The content presented in each webinar will be the same, so you only need to attend one. If you are unable to attend a webinar, a recording will be posted to cpsboard.org. Please submit questions to secretariat@cpsboard.org. Submitted by Tammy Franks, Secretariat, National Child Passenger Safety Board (Thompson, OH) | | | | | | Course Audits Now that we are seeing an increase in courses, the Safe Kids Quality Assurance Specialist will begin auditing courses again. So, what does this mean for the instructor team? It is the responsibility of the entire teaching team to ensure courses and content are delivered following Safe Kids Certification policies and procedures and the curriculum guidelines. This can be done several ways; desk audit or in-person audits. Both types of audits may be initiated randomly or as a result of a complaint or concern. A desk audit is where all of the course documents such as the roster, quiz answer sheets, instructor hour breakdown for allocation and any additionally requested course documentation is provided to the Quality Assurance Specialist for review. The purpose of this is to ensure paperwork is being completed and kept as required. In person course audits can be when the auditor arrives without notice and observes the course, or it can be focused more on course mentoring. This is when the Quality Assurance Specialist becomes part of the instructor team and will support the Lead Instructor, participate in the course instructor pre-meeting, teaches and provides a follow up summary of the course. New ideas, teaching tips and resources will be shared with the CPST instructor community via the CPS Express e-newsletter. One’s CPS certification status may be at risk if an instructor or member of the instructor team is found to have neglected established policies and procedures, fails to provide the required documentation within the specified time as detailed, or if any documentation is falsified. Submitted by Debbie Landoskey, Quality Assurance Specialist, Safe Kids Worldwide. (Ormond Beach, Florida) | | | | | | | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
