WA CPS Update

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION!

ALL LOCAL CPS Communication lead; forward to your technician network ASAP.

The yearly update to the National Digital Check Form is approaching. Please be prepared for NDCF v. 8.0, which will be released on October 4.  

Here’s what you need to know/do:

Recent checks:

  • First, be sure you have submitted all the checks you’ve conducted using the 7.0 version ASAP, no later than October 1.
  • If you use an app, it is a good idea to double-check your homepage to make sure there are no checks waiting for you to click “Submit” when you are in wifi range.
  • The NDCF site will be down on October 2-3 for the update, so after October 1 it will be too late.

Updated paper form:

  • If you use hardcopy forms, a digital version of the form will be available for download/printing by or before October 4.
  • Find the form at www.carseatcheckform.org under Resources.
  • If your procedure is to document checks using the paper form and then enter the data into the online form (or app), be sure to complete submissions gathered using the 7.0 form by October 1.  Then switch to the 8.0 form.

NDCF apps:

It’s hard to count on having connectivity in a parking lot or garage, so be sure to get the new app set up well in advance of when you’ll need to use it!

  • Update your app to 8.0. on October 4 (or after—but well ahead of when you’ll need it for a check)
  • Depending on your device settings, your current app might show that an update is available—or not.  Either way, it will not update automatically, so you’ll need to take these steps:
    • Go to your device’s app store to find the free app by searching “Car Seat Check Form.”
    • Remember:  You’ll need wifi to download the app.
    • After downloading, you’ll also need to open the app at least once while connected to wifi so that later, when you are at a checkup, it will be ready to go (with or without wifi).
    • Remember to do this process on all the devices that you use for car seat checks (phone, tablet).

Changes in the 8.0 version:

There are fewer changes than past rounds, so if you’ve gotten used to 7.0, you’ll be happy to find the “flow” still works for 8.0.  Here are the changes you’ll see:

  1. The Check to Protect question is moved to the vehicle info (rather than being under caregiver info)
  2. A question about whether the car seat has been previously checked has been added
  3. The “Vehicle present” and “Child location in vehicle” have been moved to questions #1 and #2 so that all the child questions are grouped together.
  4. A bubble to note the presence of a locking clip has been added to questions #11 and #38.
  5. There will be a dropdown menu of car seat manufacturers and models (like there has been for vehicles) to make that entry easier.

One last tip:

As always, don’t forget:  If you have recertified, go to carseatcheckform.org and upload your new certification card.  If you do this every time you recertify—and keep your app version up to date—you’ll avoid most of the hiccups people encounter when using the digital form!

Thank you to Denise Donaldson for drafting these precise instructions to help us all through another NDCF update.