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Labour Supply and Childcare for British Mothers in Two-Parent Families: A Structural Approach

Author

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  • Parera-Nicolau, Antonia

    (European Commission)

  • Mumford, Karen A.

    (University of York)

Abstract

We develop and estimate a structural model of labour supply for British two parent families, taking explicit account of the importance of childcare related variables. We find working mothers do not increase their working hours when hourly wages increase, indeed, they are more likely to reduce their hours. The major inducement for working mothers to increase their working hours, that we find, is the provision of high quality formal childcare. Implying that government policy aiming at increasing working hours amongst British mothers of pre-school children may need to focus on the quality as well as the quantity of formal child care that is available.

Suggested Citation

  • Parera-Nicolau, Antonia & Mumford, Karen A., 2005. "Labour Supply and Childcare for British Mothers in Two-Parent Families: A Structural Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 1908, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1908
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bruno Arpino & Chiara D. Pronzato & Lara P. Tavares, 2012. "Mothers’ labour market participation: Do grandparents make it easier?," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 277, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    2. Wrohlich, Katharina, 2006. "Labor Supply and Child Care Choices in a Rationed Child Care Market," IZA Discussion Papers 2053, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Müller, Kai-Uwe & Wrohlich, Katharina, 2020. "Does subsidized care for toddlers increase maternal labor supply? Evidence from a large-scale expansion of early childcare," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    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. Bruno Arpino & Chiara Pronzato & Lara Tavares, 2014. "The Effect of Grandparental Support on Mothers’ Labour Market Participation: An Instrumental Variable Approach," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 30(4), pages 369-390, November.
    6. Kai-Uwe Müller & Katharina Wrohlich, 2016. "Two Steps Forward—One Step Back? Evaluating Contradicting Child Care Policies in Germany," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 62(4), pages 672-698.
    7. Pronzato, Chiara & Patrício Tavares, Lara & Arpino, Bruno, 2010. "All in the family: informal childcare and mothers’ labour market participation," ISER Working Paper Series 2010-24, Institute for Social and Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mothers; Britain; childcare; parents labour supply;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • J80 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - General

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