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Parental Education and Child Health: Evidence from a Schooling Reform

Author

Listed:
  • Lindeboom, Maarten

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Llena-Nozal, Ana

    (OECD)

  • van der Klaauw, Bas

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of parental education on child health outcomes. To identify the causal effect we explore exogenous variation in parental education induced by a schooling reform in 1947, which raised the minimum school leaving age in the UK. Findings based on data from the National Child Development Study suggest that postponing the school leaving age by one year had little effect on the health of their offspring. Schooling did however improve economic opportunities by reducing financial difficulties among households. We conclude from this that the effects of parental income on child health are at most modest.

Suggested Citation

  • Lindeboom, Maarten & Llena-Nozal, Ana & van der Klaauw, Bas, 2006. "Parental Education and Child Health: Evidence from a Schooling Reform," IZA Discussion Papers 2516, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2516
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    returns to education; health; regression-discontinuity; intergenerational mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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