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Can't Buy Mommy's Love? Universal Childcare and Children's Long-Term Cognitive Development

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Felfe, Christina

    ()

    (University of St. Gallen)

  • Nollenberger, Natalia

    ()

    (IE University)

  • Rodríguez-Planas, Núria

    ()

    (Queens College, CUNY)

Abstract

What happens to children's long-run cognitive development when introducing universal high-quality childcare for 3-year olds mainly crowds out maternal care? To answer this question we exploit a natural experiment framework and employ a difference-in-difference approach. We find sizable improvements in children's reading and math skills at age 15, as well as in grade progression during primary and secondary school. Effects are driven by girls and disadvantaged children.

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File URL: http://ftp.iza.org/dp7053.pdf
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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 7053.

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Length: 51 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2012
Publication status: published in: Journal of Population Economics, 2015, 28(2), 393-422
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7053
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Keywords: universal high-quality childcare; cognitive skills; long-term consequences;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
  • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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