Abstract
We present the first evidence from a randomized field experiment that access to universal early child care increases maternal labor supply. Our intervention provided families with customized help for child care applications, resulting in a large increase in enrollment among children of lower socioeconomic status (SES). The treatment increases lower-SES mothers’ full-time employment rates by 9 percentage points (+160%), household income by 10%, and mothers’ earnings by 22%. The full-time-employment effect is largely due to increased care hours provided by child care centers and fathers. The treatment also substantially improves intra-household gender equality in terms of child care, hours worked, and earnings.
The paper is joint with Marina Krauss, Philipp Lergetporer, Frauke Peter & Simon Wiederhold
Invited by: Pietro Biroli
Local Organizer: Stefania Bortolotti