The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has released a suite of new resources and practical advice for parents and professionals on how best to transport premature and low birth weight babies.

Improved survival rates and earlier discharges for premature and low birth weight babies has led to an increase in smaller infants being transported in child car seats. In light of this, RoSPA has produced resources – which include instructional videos for parents and advice that practitioners can share – and made them available on www.childcarseats.org.uk.

The videos cover everything parents need to know about travelling with smaller babies, and how to fit a lie-flat child car seat, while assets for professionals include a webcast covering best practice for transportation. The advice covers a range of key points, including length of journeys and how often breaks should be taken.

All of the available resources are based on extensive research and an evidence review.

Nick Lloyd, RoSPA’s acting head of road safety, said: “We identified the trend for smaller babies being transported in child car seats, and recognised that there was a lack of easy-to-use, simple advice for both parents and practitioners. Following our research and evidence review, we have now produced some really thorough resources that will help to fill this gap.”

Jane Scattergood, midwifery advisor at Public Health England, said: “It’s encouraging that survival rates for very low birth weight babies are improving and it’s important for parents to know how to transport very small babies safely. These important resources will help health care professionals, including health visitors and midwives, to advise parents on the safest means of doing this and will offer accessible, evidence-based guidance to families.”

The resources can be found at www.childcarseats.org.uk