Abstract
Sleep is a vital part of healthy human functioning for all ages and for children a critical part of healthy growth and development. Despite this, childhood sleep problems are common and there is a need for more accessible interventions for families to improve sleep habits. Central to improving sleep outcomes for children, is the implementation of optimal bedtime routines. This thesis aimed to examine which factors are associated with the implementation of optimal bedtime routines for children and to develop a resource that families could use as part of the bedtime routine at home. Part A of this portfolio presents a narrative review of factors associated with the implementation of optimal and sub-optimal bedtime routines for children. The findings of this review highlight a range of child, family and other contextual factors that impact bedtime routine implementation. It adds to and extends an already existing model to help conceptualise these dynamic processes. Part B presents an empirical paper that developed and evaluated the feasibility of a sleep resource for 3–6-year-old children and their parents/caregivers. The findings provided participant feedback of their experience of using the resource, indications as to its initial efficacy and the feasibility of the resource's future evaluation using a larger randomised control trial design.