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From Quantity to Quality: Delivering a Home-Based Parenting Intervention Through China’s Family Planning Cadres

Author

Listed:
  • Sean Sylvia
  • Nele Warrinnier
  • Renfu Luo
  • Ai Yue
  • Orazio Attanasio
  • Alexis Medina
  • Scott Rozelle

Abstract

A key challenge in developing countries interested in providing early childhood development (ECD) programmes at scale is whether these programmes can be effectively delivered through existing public service infrastructures. We present the results of a randomised experiment evaluating the effects of a home-based parenting programme delivered by cadres in China’s Family Planning Commission (FPC)—the former enforcers of the one-child policy. We find that the programme significantly increased infant skill development after six months and that increased investments by caregivers alongside improvements in parenting skills were a major mechanism through which this occurred. Children who lagged behind in their cognitive development and received little parental investment at the onset of the intervention benefited most from the programme. Household participation in the programme was associated with the degree to which participants had a favourable view of the FPC, which also increased due to the programme.

Suggested Citation

  • Sean Sylvia & Nele Warrinnier & Renfu Luo & Ai Yue & Orazio Attanasio & Alexis Medina & Scott Rozelle, 2021. "From Quantity to Quality: Delivering a Home-Based Parenting Intervention Through China’s Family Planning Cadres," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(635), pages 1365-1400.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:131:y:2021:i:635:p:1365-1400.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueaa114
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    Cited by:

    1. Jian Zhou & Jingjing Deng & Li Li & Shuang Wang, 2023. "The Demographic Dividend or the Education Dividend? Evidence from China’s Economic Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Simon Briole & Augustin Colette & Emmanuelle Lavaine, 2023. "The Heterogeneous Effects of Lockdown Policies on Air Pollution," Working Papers hal-04084912, HAL.
    3. Lei Wang & Yiwei Qian & Nele Warrinnier & Orazio Attanasio & Scott Rozelle & Sean Sylvia, "undated". "Parental Investment, School Choice, and the Persistent Benefits of Intervention in Early Childhood," Working Papers 931, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    4. Wang, Lei & Qian, Yiwei & Warrinnier, Nele & Attanasio, Orazio & Rozelle, Scott & Sylvia, Sean, 2023. "Parental investment, school choice, and the persistent benefits of an early childhood intervention," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    5. Lena Kuhn & Chengfang Liu & Tianyi Wang & Renfu Luo, 2021. "Home Environment and Early Development of Rural Children: Evidence from Guizhou Province in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-18, June.
    6. Chandra, Anjali & Mani, Subha & Dolphin, Heather & Dyson, Meredith & Marah, Yembeh, 2021. "Experimental Evidence from an Integrated Early Childhood Parenting Program in Sierra Leone," IZA Discussion Papers 14054, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Zhong, Jingdong & Kuhn, Lena & Wang, Tianyi & Liu, Chengfang & Luo, Renfu, 2020. "The interrelationships between parental migration, home environment, and early child development in rural China: A cross-sectional study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 17(11).
    8. Caro, Juan Carlos, 2020. "Parental investments, socioemotional development and nutritional health in Chile," MPRA Paper 98867, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Bansak, Cynthia & Jiang, Xuan & Yang, Guanyi, 2022. "Sibling spillovers in rural China: A story of sisters," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    10. John A. List & Ragan Petrie & Anya Samek, 2023. "How Experiments with Children Inform Economics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 61(2), pages 504-564, June.
    11. Caro, Juan Carlos, 2020. "Child development and obesity prevention: evidence from the Chilean School Meals Program," MPRA Paper 98865, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Hannah Johnstone & Yi Yang & Hao Xue & Scott Rozelle, 2021. "Infant Cognitive Development and Stimulating Parenting Practices in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-16, May.
    13. Yunwei Chen & Sean Sylvia & Sarah-Eve Dill & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Structural Determinants of Child Health in Rural China: The Challenge of Creating Health Equity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.
    14. Johannes M. Bos & Akib Khan & Saravana Ravindran & Abu S. Shonchoy, 2021. "Early Childhood Human Capital Formation at Scale," Working Papers 2115, Florida International University, Department of Economics.
    15. Flavio Cunha & Marsha Gerdes & Qinyou Hu & Snejana Nihtianova, 2023. "Language Environment and Maternal Expectations: An Evaluation of the LENA Start Program," NBER Working Papers 30837, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Lei Wang & Conghong Yang & Dingjing Jiang & Siqi Zhang & Qi Jiang & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Impact of Parental Beliefs on Child Developmental Outcomes: A Quasi-Experiment in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.
    17. Zhang, Zihan & Kim, Jun Hyung, 2023. "The Inheritance of Historical Trauma: Intergenerational Effects of Early-Life Exposure to Famine on Mental Health," IZA Discussion Papers 16385, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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