Children of working mothers

There has been considerable concern about the development and adjustment of children of mothers who work away from home, but there is little research evidence to show that maternal employment in itself has a detrimental effect on a child's development, and there are some cases where it can be a positive advantage. Yet the situation is by no means clear cut, as many research studies have failed to take into account such variables as whether the mother is working full- or part-time, the adequacy of the substitute care, and the age of the child; the attitude of both parents to the mother's working, social-class and family size are also important.