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Can universal preschool increase the labor supply of mothers?

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  • Sarah Cattan

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK, and IZA, Germany)

Abstract

Since the 1970s, many countries have established free or highly subsidized education for all preschool children in the hope of improving children’s learning and socio-economic life chances and encouraging mothers to join the labor force. Evaluations reveal that these policies can increase maternal employment in the short term and may continue to do so even after the child is no longer in preschool by enabling mothers to gain more job skills and increase their attachment to the labor force. However, their effectiveness depends on the policy design, the country context, and the characteristics of mothers of preschoolers.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Cattan, 2016. "Can universal preschool increase the labor supply of mothers?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 312-312, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2016:n:312
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

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    2. Kazakova, Yuliya, 2019. "Childcare availability and maternal labour supply in Russia," ISER Working Paper Series 2019-11, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    3. de Boer, Henk-Wim & Jongen, Egbert L.W. & Kabatek, Jan, 2022. "The effectiveness of fiscal stimuli for working parents," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Robert Duval-Hernández & Lei Fang & L. Rachel Ngai, 2018. "Social Subsidies and Marketization – the Role of Gender and Skill," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 962, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    5. Robert Duval-Hernandez & Lei Fang & L. Rachel Ngai, 2021. "Taxes, Subsidies, and Gender Gaps in Hours and Wages," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2021-17, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    6. Bhalotra, Sonia & Clarke, Damian & Walther, Selma, 2022. "Women's Careers and Family Formation," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1120, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. Christoph Zangger & Janine Widmer & Sandra Gilgen, 2021. "Work, Childcare, or Both? Experimental Evidence on the Efficacy of Childcare Subsidies in Raising Parental Labor Supply," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 449-472, September.
    8. Martina Querejeta Rabosto & Estefanía Galván & Cecilia Parada & Soledad Salvador, 2021. "Gender Gaps and Family Policies in Latin America," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4509, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    9. Huebener, Mathias & Pape, Astrid & Spiess, C. Katharina, 2020. "Parental labour supply responses to the abolition of day care fees," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 510-543.
    10. Robert Duval‐Hernández & Lei Fang & L. Rachel Ngai, 2023. "Taxes, subsidies and gender gaps in hours and wages," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(358), pages 373-408, April.
    11. McGinnity, Frances & Russell, Helen & Privalko, Ivan & Enright, Shannen & O'Brien, Doireann, 2021. "Monitoring decent work in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT414, June.
    12. Bence Szabó & Judit Berei & Márton Csillag & Hanna Erős & Judit Krekó & Ágota Scharle, 2022. "The impact of childcare on maternal employment," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2220, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    13. Dhuey, Elizabeth & Lamontagne, Jessie & Zhang, Tingting, 2019. "The Impact of Full-Day Kindergarten on Maternal Labour Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 12507, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    preschool; universal preschool; female labor supply; maternal employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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