IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jfamec/v38y2017i1d10.1007_s10834-016-9501-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using Policy-Relevant Administrative Data in Mixed Methods: A Study of Employment Instability and Parents’ Use of Child Care Subsidies

Author

Listed:
  • Deana Grobe

    (Oregon State University)

  • Elizabeth E. Davis

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Ellen K. Scott

    (University of Oregon)

  • Roberta B. Weber

    (Oregon State University)

Abstract

In the United States, government subsidies help low-income families pay for child care when parents are working, yet policies that tie subsidy eligibility closely to employment may result in frequent disruptions in program participation for families. This paper uses a mixed methods research design that links administrative records on families and children to data collected through surveys and in-depth interviews to examine employment instability and job characteristics of parents using child care subsidies. The results suggest that parents experience substantial employment instability (employment loss and unpredictable schedules) and that exiting the subsidy program is frequently related to employment-related eligibility factors. Overall, the use of administrative data integrated with other methods provides substantial opportunities for researchers to explore complex social phenomenon and provide insights in the evaluation of social programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Deana Grobe & Elizabeth E. Davis & Ellen K. Scott & Roberta B. Weber, 2017. "Using Policy-Relevant Administrative Data in Mixed Methods: A Study of Employment Instability and Parents’ Use of Child Care Subsidies," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 146-162, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:38:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10834-016-9501-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-016-9501-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10834-016-9501-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10834-016-9501-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erdal Tekin, 2007. "Childcare Subsidies, Wages, and Employment of Single Mothers," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(2).
    2. April Crawford, 2006. "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Single Mothers’ Work Effort," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 23(3), pages 699-711, May.
    3. Tekin, Erdal, 2005. "Child care subsidy receipt, employment, and child care choices of single mothers," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 1-6, October.
    4. Guyonne Kalb, 2009. "Children, Labour Supply and Child Care: Challenges for Empirical Analysis," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 42(3), pages 276-299, September.
    5. David Blau & Erdal Tekin, 2007. "The determinants and consequences of child care subsidies for single mothers in the USA," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 20(4), pages 719-741, October.
    6. Ha, Yoonsook & Miller, Daniel P., 2015. "Child care subsidies and employment outcomes of low-income families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-148.
    7. Elizabeth E. Davis & Deana Grobe & Roberta B. Weber, 2010. "Rural–Urban Differences in Childcare Subsidy Use and Employment Stability," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 32(1), pages 135-153.
    8. Lipscomb, Shannon T., 2013. "Increasing access to quality child care for children from low-income families: Families' experiences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 411-419.
    9. Ann Berry & Mary Katras & Yoshie Sano & Jaerim Lee & Jean Bauer, 2008. "Job Volatility of Rural, Low-income Mothers: A Mixed Methods Approach," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 5-22, March.
    10. Ha, Yoonsook & Meyer, Daniel R., 2010. "Child care subsidy patterns: Are exits related to economic setbacks or economic successes?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 346-355, March.
    11. Chris Herbst, 2010. "The labor supply effects of child care costs and wages in the presence of subsidies and the earned income tax credit," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 199-230, June.
    12. Weber, Roberta B. & Grobe, Deana & Davis, Elizabeth E., 2014. "Does policy matter? The effect of increasing child care subsidy policy generosity on program outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 135-144.
    13. Blau, David & Currie, Janet, 2006. "Pre-School, Day Care, and After-School Care: Who's Minding the Kids?," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 20, pages 1163-1278, Elsevier.
    14. Deana Grobe & Roberta Weber & Elizabeth Davis, 2008. "Why Do They Leave? Child Care Subsidy Use in Oregon," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 110-127, March.
    15. Lowe, Edward D. & Weisner, Thomas S., 2004. "`You have to push it--who's gonna raise your kids?': situating child care and child care subsidy use in the daily routines of lower income families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 143-171, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yoshie Sano & Sheila Mammen & Myah Houghten, 2021. "Well-Being and Stability among Low-income Families: A 10-Year Review of Research," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 107-117, July.
    2. Davis, Elizabeth E. & Krafft, Caroline & Forry, Nicole D., 2017. "Understanding churn: Predictors of reentry among families who leave the child care subsidy program in Maryland," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 34-45.
    3. Kim, Jaeseung & Henly, Julia R., 2021. "Dynamics of child care subsidy use and material hardship," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    4. Sullivan, Amanda L. & Farnsworth, Elyse M. & Susman-Stillman, Amy, 2018. "Patterns and predictors of childcare subsidies for children with and without special needs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 218-228.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elizabeth E. Davis & Caroline Carlin & Caroline Krafft & Nicole D. Forry, 2018. "Do Child Care Subsidies Increase Employment Among Low-Income Parents?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 662-682, December.
    2. Ha, Yoonsook & Miller, Daniel P., 2015. "Child care subsidies and employment outcomes of low-income families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-148.
    3. Taryn W. Morrissey, 2017. "Child care and parent labor force participation: a review of the research literature," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Kim, Jaeseung & Henly, Julia R., 2021. "Dynamics of child care subsidy use and material hardship," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    5. Herbst, Chris M. & Tekin, Erdal, 2010. "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Child Well-Being: Evidence from Geographic Variation in the Distance to Social Service Agencies," IZA Discussion Papers 5102, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Herbst, Chris M. & Tekin, Erdal, 2011. "Do child care subsidies influence single mothers' decision to invest in human capital?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 901-912, October.
    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. Herbst, Chris M., 2022. "Child Care in the United States: Markets, Policy, and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 15547, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Thoresen, Thor O. & Vattø, Trine E., 2019. "An up-to-date joint labor supply and child care choice model," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 51-73.
    10. Chris M. Herbst, 2023. "Child Care In The United States: Markets, Policy, And Evidence," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 255-304, January.
    11. Carlin, Caroline & Davis, Elizabeth E. & Krafft, Caroline & Tout, Kathryn, 2019. "Parental preferences and patterns of child care use among low-income families: A Bayesian analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 172-185.
    12. Herbst, Chris M., 2013. "Universal Child Care, Maternal Employment, and Children's Long-Run Outcomes: Evidence from the U.S. Lanham Act of 1940," IZA Discussion Papers 7846, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Sullivan, Amanda L. & Farnsworth, Elyse M. & Susman-Stillman, Amy, 2018. "Patterns and predictors of childcare subsidies for children with and without special needs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 218-228.
    14. Zanoni Wladimir & Weinberger Gabriel, 2015. "Effects of Childcare Subsidies on Employment and Earnings of Low-Income Mothers," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 589-619, April.
    15. Davis, Elizabeth E. & Krafft, Caroline & Forry, Nicole D., 2017. "Understanding churn: Predictors of reentry among families who leave the child care subsidy program in Maryland," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 34-45.
    16. Sandra E. Black & Paul J. Devereux & Katrine V. L�ken & Kjell G. Salvanes, 2014. "Care or Cash? The Effect of Child Care Subsidies on Student Performance," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(5), pages 824-837, December.
    17. Randy Albelda & Michael Carr, 2017. "One Step Forward, One Step Back? Labor Supply Effects of Minimum Wage Increases on Single Parents with Public Child Care Support," Working Papers 2017_01, University of Massachusetts Boston, Economics Department.
    18. Maguire-Jack, Kathryn & Hardi, Felicia & Stormer, Bri & Lee, Joyce Y. & Feely, Megan & Rostad, Whitney & Ford, Derek C. & Merrick, Melissa T. & Murphy, Catherine A. & Bart. Klika, J., 2022. "Early childhood education and care policies in the U.S. And their impact on family violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    19. Julio J. Guzman, 2019. "The demand for child care subsidies under rationing," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1349-1379, December.
    20. Wen-Jui Han & Christopher Ruhm & Jane Waldfogel & Elizabeth Washbrook, 2009. "Public Policies and Women's Employment after Childbearing," NBER Working Papers 14660, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:38:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10834-016-9501-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.