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How Large Are the Effects from Temporary Changes in Family Environment: Evidence from a Child-Evacuation Program during World War II

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  • Torsten Santavirta

Abstract

During World War II, some 50,000 Finnish children were evacuated to Sweden and placed in foster families. The evacuation scheme limited sharply the scope for selection into foster care based on background characteristics. A first-come first-served policy was applied where the children were assigned a running number and processed anonymously. Using register and survey data, I examine the extent to which the foster environment affected later life outcomes of the Finnish child evacuees. The results show that nurture, the socioeconomic environment at early stages of life, has important effects on schooling. (JEL I21, J13, J24, N34, N44)

Suggested Citation

  • Torsten Santavirta, 2012. "How Large Are the Effects from Temporary Changes in Family Environment: Evidence from a Child-Evacuation Program during World War II," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 4(3), pages 28-42, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:4:y:2012:i:3:p:28-42
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.4.3.28
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah Cattan & Daniel A Kamhöfer & Martin Karlsson & Therese Nilsson, 2023. "The Long-Term Effects of Student Absence: Evidence from Sweden," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(650), pages 888-903.
    2. Cattan, Sarah & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Karlsson, Martin & Nilsson, Therese, 2017. "The Short- and Long-Term Effects of Student Absence: Evidence from Sweden," IZA Discussion Papers 10995, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Nina Santavirta & Torsten Santavirta, 2014. "Child Protection And Adult Depression: Evaluating The Long‐Term Consequences Of Evacuating Children To Foster Care During World War Ii," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(3), pages 253-267, March.
    4. Davide Cantoni & Noam Yuchtman, 2020. "Historical Natural Experiments: Bridging Economics and Economic History," NBER Working Papers 26754, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Lovett, Nicholas & Xue, Yuhan, 2020. "Family first or the kindness of strangers? Foster care placements and adult outcomes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Hayduk Iryna, 2017. "The Effect of Kinship Placement Laws on Foster Children’s Well-Being," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(1), pages 1-23, February.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

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