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Early Maternal Employment and Non-cognitive Outcomes in Early Childhood and Adolescence: Evidence from British Birth Cohort Data

Author

Listed:
  • Warn N. Lekfuangfu

    (LSE - London School of Economics and Political Science, Chulalongkorn University [Bangkok], CEPR - Center for Economic Policy Research - CEPR)

  • Nattavudh Powdthavee

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research - Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, CEPR - Center for Economic Policy Research - CEPR, LSE - London School of Economics and Political Science)

  • Andrew E. Clark

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CEPR - Center for Economic Policy Research - CEPR)

  • George Ward

    (LSE - London School of Economics and Political Science, CEPR - Center for Economic Policy Research - CEPR)

Abstract

We analyse the relationship between early maternal employment and child emotional and behavioural outcomes in early childhood and adolescence. Using rich data from a cohort of children born in the UK in the early 1990s, we find little evidence of a strong statistical relationship between early maternal employment and any of the emotional outcomes. However, there is some evidence that children whose mother is in full-time employment at the 18th month have worse behavioural outcomes at ages 4, 7, and 12. We suggest that these largely insignificant results may in part be explained by mothers who return to full-time work earlier being able to compensate their children: we highlight the role of fathers' time investment and alternative childcare arrangements in this respect.

Suggested Citation

  • Warn N. Lekfuangfu & Nattavudh Powdthavee & Andrew E. Clark & George Ward, 2015. "Early Maternal Employment and Non-cognitive Outcomes in Early Childhood and Adolescence: Evidence from British Birth Cohort Data," Working Papers halshs-01223336, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-01223336
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01223336
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    1. Early maternal employment and non-cognitive outcomes in early childhood and adolescence: evidence from British birth cohort data
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2016-04-07 18:40:32

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child outcomes; Maternal employment; Well-being; Conduct; ALSPAC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers

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