Correct implementation of parent/child NSManagedObjectContext

The parent/child MOC model is a really powerful feature of Core Data. It simplifies incredibly the age-old concurrency problem we used to have to deal with. However, as you’ve stated, concurrency is not your issue. To answer your questions:

1. Traditionally, you use the NSMainQueueConcurrencyType for the NSManagedObjectContext associated with the main thread, and NSPrivateQueueConcurrencyTypes for child contexts. The child context does not need to match its parent. The NSConfinementConcurrencyType is what all NSManagedObjectContexts get defaulted to if you don’t specify a type. It’s basically the “I will managed my own threads for Core Data” type.
2. Without seeing your code, my assumption would be the scope within which you create the child context ends and it gets cleaned up.
3. When using the parent/child context pattern, you need to be using the block methods. The biggest benefit of using the block methods is that the OS will handle dispatching the method calls to the correct threads. You can use performBlock for asynchronous execution, or performBlockAndWait for synchronous execution.

You would use this such as:

- (void)saveContexts {
    [childContext performBlock:^{
        NSError *childError = nil;
        if ([childContext save:&childError]) {
            [parentContext performBlock:^{
                NSError *parentError = nil;
                if (![parentContext save:&parentError]) {
                    NSLog(@"Error saving parent");
                }
            }];
        } else {
            NSLog(@"Error saving child");
        }
    }];
}

Now, you need to keep in mind that changes made in the child context (e.g. Entities inserted) won’t be available to the parent context until you save. To the child context, the parent context is the persistent store. When you save, you pass those changes up to the parent, who can then save them to the actual persistent store. Saves propogate changes up one level. On the other hand, fetching into a child context will pull data down through every level (through the parent and into the child)

4. You need to use some form of objectWithID on the managedObjectContext. They are the safest (and really only) way to pass objects around between contexts. As Tom Harrington mentioned in the comments, you may want to use existingObjectWithID:error: though because objectWithID: always returns an object, even if you pass in an invalid ID (which can lead to exceptions). For more details: Link