Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Many governments are considering expanding childcare subsidies to increase the labour force participation of parents (especially mothers) with young children. In this paper, we study the potential impact of such a policy by comparing the effects of offering free part-time childcare and of expanding this offer to the whole school day in the context of England. We use two different strategies exploiting free childcare eligibility rules based on date of birth. Both strategies suggest that free part-time childcare only marginally affects the labour force participation of mothers whose youngest child is eligible, but expanding from part-time to full-time free childcare leads to significant increases in labour force participation and employment of these mothers. These effects emerge immediately and grow over the months following entitlement. We find no evidence that parents adjust their labour supply in anticipation of their children’s entitlement to free childcare.
Source: Labour Economics
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,430
Awards: The effect of free childcare on maternal labour supply and child development, Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy, G2787517051, G2845829554, The Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoC), G5904369052, G6190706719, The Research Centre for Micro-Social Change (MiSoC): Understanding individual and family behaviours in a new era of uncertainty and change, G8219231320, G8292008543, G8877997352
OpenAlex ID: W4206767693