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Early Child Care and Child Outcomes: The Role of Grandparents

Author

Listed:
  • Del Boca, Daniela

    (University of Turin)

  • Piazzalunga, Daniela

    (University of Trento)

  • Pronzato, Chiara D.

    (University of Turin)

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on the impact of early grandparents' care on child cognitive outcomes, in the short and medium term, using data from the Millennium Cohort Study (UK). Compared with children looked after in a formal care centre, children cared by grandparents (as well as parents) are better in naming objects, but worse in tests concerning basic concepts development, problem-solving, mathematical concepts and constructing ability. In order to assess a causal link between early care and child outcomes, we employ panel methods and instrumental variables techniques that confirm that grandparental care matters more for naming ability while formal care is more important for problem-solving ability and basic concepts development. These results hide strong heterogeneities: on the one hand, the positive association between grandparents' care and child outcomes is stronger for children in more advantaged households; on the other hand, the negative association is significant only for children in more disadvantaged households.

Suggested Citation

  • Del Boca, Daniela & Piazzalunga, Daniela & Pronzato, Chiara D., 2014. "Early Child Care and Child Outcomes: The Role of Grandparents," IZA Discussion Papers 8565, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8565
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James Heckman & Flavio Cunha, 2007. "The Technology of Skill Formation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(2), pages 31-47, May.
    2. Daniela Del Boca & Christopher Flinn & Matthew Wiswall, 2014. "Household Choices and Child Development," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 81(1), pages 137-185.
    3. Eva Garcia-Moran & Zoe Kuehn, 2017. "With Strings Attached: Grandparent-Provided Child Care and Female Labor Market Outcomes," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 23, pages 80-98, January.
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    5. Arpino, Bruno & Pronzato, Chiara D. & Tavares, Lara P., 2012. "Mothers' Labour Market Participation: Do Grandparents Make It Easier?," IZA Discussion Papers 7065, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    9. Eva Garcia-Moran & Zoe Kuehn, 2012. "With Strings Attached: Grandparent-Provided Child care, Fertility, and Female Labor Market Outcomes," CEPRA working paper 1202, USI Università della Svizzera italiana.
    10. Mayssun El-Attar, 2013. "Trust, child care technology choice and female labor force participation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 507-544, December.
    11. Arnstein Aassve & Elena Meroni & Chiara Pronzato, 2012. "Grandparenting and Childbearing in the Extended Family," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 28(4), pages 499-518, November.
    12. Hansen, Kirstine & Hawkes, Denise, 2009. "Early childcare and child development," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 4802, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    13. Raquel Bernal, 2008. "The Effect Of Maternal Employment And Child Care On Children'S Cognitive Development," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1173-1209, November.
    14. Datta Gupta, Nabanita & Simonsen, Marianne, 2010. "Non-cognitive child outcomes and universal high quality child care," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1-2), pages 30-43, February.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Early Child Care and Child Outcomes: The Role of Grandparents
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2014-12-19 17:00:01

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    Cited by:

    1. Taehyun Ahn & Kyong Duk Choi, 2019. "Grandparent caregiving and cognitive functioning among older people: evidence from Korea," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 553-586, June.
    2. Daniela Del Boca, 2015. "Child Care Arrangements and Labor Supply," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 88074, Inter-American Development Bank.
    3. Gloria Di Caprera, 2016. "Ready to learn: the role of childcare attendance on children's school outcomes in Italy," CEIS Research Paper 378, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 09 May 2016.
    4. Liu, Han & Chang, Fang & Corn, Hannah & Zhang, Yi & Shi, Yaojiang, 2021. "The impact of parental migration on non-cognitive abilities of left behind children in northwestern China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    5. repec:ces:ifodic:v:15:y:2017:i:1:p:19307500 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Daniela Del Boca & Christopher Flinn & Daniela Piazzalunga & Chiara Pronzato & Giuseppe Sorrenti & Matthew Wiswall, 2018. "Childcare Choices and Child Development: a Cross-Country Analysis," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 556, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    7. Sebastian Pink, 2018. "Anticipated (Grand-)Parental Childcare Support and the Decision to Become a Parent," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 34(5), pages 691-720, December.
    8. Daniela Del Boca & Enrica Maria Martino & Daniela Piazzalunga, 2017. "Investments in Early Education and Child Outcomes: The Short and the Long Run," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 15(01), pages 43-48, April.
    9. Francesca Fiori, 2020. "Maternal employment and the well-being of children living with a lone mother in Scotland," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(57), pages 1685-1738.
    10. Daniela Del Boca & Enrica Maria Martino & Daniela Piazzalunga, 2017. "Investments in Early Education and Child Outcomes: The Short and the Long Run," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 15(1), pages 43-48, 04.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    childcare; child cognitive outcomes; grandparents;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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