There are many makes and types of child car seats and restraints available. Essex County Council offers a Try Before You Buy service to help you find which is the most suitable for your individual requirements.

If you are seeking to purchase a new seat the two permanent centres and one mobile display unit hold a variety of samples of up to date seats and restraints that can be tried in cars to help you find the most appropriate seat for your needs.

With the exception of Baby Barn, the Try Before You Buy Centres do not sell any child car seats or restraints. Once you have found the make and model of seat that you wish to buy this can be purchased from any retailer of your choice. Three of the centres are operated by Essex County Council Road Safety personnel who are trained and experienced in the fitting and checking of child safety seats and restraints. The remaining centre is a retail outlet.

The Essex County Council centres with operating times and contact numbers are listed below:

Brentwood: This is a mobile display unit and is on site between 9am and 3pm. The dates and venues for 2010 are:

February 1st - Sainsbury’s Food Store Car Park, Town Centre Brentwood

March 1st - Brentwood Centre Car Park, Doddinghurst Road

April 12th - King George’s Playing Field, Ingrave Road Entrance

May 10th - Mountnessing Windmill Car Park, Roman Road

June 7th - Sainsbury’s Food Store Car Park, Town Centre Brentwood

July 5th - Brentwood Centre Car Park, Doddinghurst Road

August 2nd - King Georges Playing Field, Ingrave Road Entrance

September 6th - Mountnessing Windmill Car Park, Roman Road

October 4th - Sainsbury’s Food Store Car Park, Town Centre Brentwood

November 1st -  Brentwood Centre Car Park, Doddinghurst Road

December 6th -  King George’s Playing Field, Ingrave Road Entrance

For more information contact: Christine Willcox on 01277 312680, Mobile 07747 486074 (Christine.willcoxECC@brentwood.gov.uk)

Rayleigh: The Haybarn Studio, Lubards Farm Industrial Estate, Hullbridge Road, Rayleigh SS6 9QG.Opening times are: Tuesday 12.30pm - 3.00pm  and Friday 10.30am - 3.00pm. Contact: Linda Shrimpton 01268 297593 (linda.shrimpton@essex.gov.uk)

White Colne: "Baby Barn" (formerly "Nippers") Whites Farm, Bures Road, White Colne, Colchester CO6 2QF (Retailer) Tel. 01787 228000 (www.whitesfarmbabybarn.co.uk).Opening times are Tues - Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm. (Operate a Try Before You Buy service - but a charge is made for any checks made on any equipment not originally supplied by this company)

For any enquiries about the "Try Before You Buy" scheme please contact any of the numbers above.