Research into parenting arrangements for young children: Comment on Cashmore and Parkinson

Abstract

Cashmore and Parkinson (this issue) review the available research on young children in overnight care and conclude that �[t]he available research does not support the view that overnight stays for very young children are per se problematic, but rather highlights the importance of considering the overall context of the family circumstances in individual cases�. A significant part of their conclusion rests on a critique of a recent study we conducted, which found that, while �context� matters to young children�s outcomes, developmental stage is independently important in influencing a specific array of outcomes. Here, we highlight several concerns about Cashmore and Parkinson�s approach to the translation of the �relevant research�, particularly their interpretation of our own study. Importantly for legal readers, we note that there is far more congruence than dissonance between our findings and the conclusions Cashmore and Parkinson draw about young children and overnight care arrangements.