IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v124y2021ics019074092100058x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dynamics of child care subsidy use and material hardship

Author

Listed:
  • Kim, Jaeseung
  • Henly, Julia R.

Abstract

Child care subsidies aim to promote economic stability and child development by reducing child care costs for low-income families. However, short and intermittent use of the subsidy program raises concerns about its potential interference with promoting the economic well-being of low-income parents. Limited research has explored the implication of subsidy instability on material hardship and the role of social support in this context. This study examines how different patterns of subsidy instability contribute to the risk of material hardship and whether informal social support buffers the negative association of subsidy instability with material hardship risk. Findings are based on a survey of child care subsidy participants who entered the program in 2011/2012 in Illinois and New York (n = 543). The survey was administered approximately 18 months after program entry. Descriptively, about two-thirds of subsidy participants (former and current) experienced some form of material hardship. Multivariate results find that compared to continuous subsidy spells, different patterns of subsidy instability are associated with an increased risk of material hardship. Social support mitigates material hardship risk, particularly for recipients who have recently left the subsidy program. Results suggest that policy efforts to improve subsidy stability would have positive implications for alleviating hardship. Recent policy changes designed to improve subsidy stability are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Jaeseung & Henly, Julia R., 2021. "Dynamics of child care subsidy use and material hardship," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:124:y:2021:i:c:s019074092100058x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105979
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019074092100058X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105979?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erdal Tekin, 2007. "Single Mothers Working At Night: Standard Work And Child Care Subsidies," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 45(2), pages 233-250, April.
    2. Deana Grobe & Elizabeth E. Davis & Ellen K. Scott & Roberta B. Weber, 2017. "Using Policy-Relevant Administrative Data in Mixed Methods: A Study of Employment Instability and Parents’ Use of Child Care Subsidies," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 146-162, March.
    3. Ahn, Haksoon, 2012. "Child care subsidy, child care costs, and employment of low-income single mothers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 379-387.
    4. Ha, Yoonsook & Meyer, Daniel R., 2010. "Child care subsidy patterns: Are exits related to economic setbacks or economic successes?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 346-355, March.
    5. April Crawford, 2006. "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Single Mothers’ Work Effort," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 23(3), pages 699-711, May.
    6. Colleen Heflin, 2016. "Family Instability and Material Hardship: Results from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 359-372, September.
    7. Jean Kimmel, 1998. "Child Care Costs As A Barrier To Employment For Single And Married Mothers," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(2), pages 287-299, May.
    8. Jay Bainbridge & Marcia K. Meyers & Jane Waldfogel, 2003. "Child Care Policy Reform and the Employment of Single Mothers," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 84(4), pages 771-791, December.
    9. Iceland, John & Bauman, Kurt J., 2007. "Income poverty and material hardship: How strong is the association?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 376-396, June.
    10. O'Brien, Kerth & Wortman, Camille B. & Kessler, Ronald C. & Joseph, Jill G., 1993. "Social relationships of men at risk for AIDS," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 1161-1167, May.
    11. David Blau & Erdal Tekin, 2007. "The determinants and consequences of child care subsidies for single mothers in the USA," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 20(4), pages 719-741, October.
    12. Ha, Yoonsook & Miller, Daniel P., 2015. "Child care subsidies and employment outcomes of low-income families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-148.
    13. repec:mpr:mprres:3002 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Nicole Forry, 2009. "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Low-Income Single Parents: An Examination of Child Care Expenditures and Family Finances," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 43-54, March.
    15. Deana Grobe & Roberta Weber & Elizabeth Davis, 2008. "Why Do They Leave? Child Care Subsidy Use in Oregon," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 110-127, March.
    16. Pilarz, Alejandra Ros & Claessens, Amy & Gelatt, Julia, 2016. "Patterns of child care subsidy use and stability of subsidized care arrangements: Evidence from Illinois and New York," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 231-243.
    17. Rodems, Richard & Shaefer, H. Luke, 2020. "Many of the kids are not alright: Material hardship among children in the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    18. Connelly, Rachel, 1992. "The Effect of Child Care Costs on Married Women's Labor Force Participation," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(1), pages 83-90, February.
    19. Eamon, Mary Keegan & Wu, Chi-Fang, 2011. "Effects of unemployment and underemployment on material hardship in single-mother families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 233-241, February.
    20. Elizabeth E. Davis & Caroline Carlin & Caroline Krafft & Nicole D. Forry, 2018. "Do Child Care Subsidies Increase Employment Among Low-Income Parents?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 662-682, December.
    21. Rebecca M. Blank, 2008. "Presidential address: How to improve poverty measurement in the United States," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(2), pages 233-254.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Herbst, Chris M., 2022. "Child Care in the United States: Markets, Policy, and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 15547, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Chris M. Herbst, 2023. "Child Care In The United States: Markets, Policy, And Evidence," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 255-304, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elizabeth E. Davis & Caroline Carlin & Caroline Krafft & Nicole D. Forry, 2018. "Do Child Care Subsidies Increase Employment Among Low-Income Parents?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 662-682, December.
    2. Maguire-Jack, Kathryn & Hardi, Felicia & Stormer, Bri & Lee, Joyce Y. & Feely, Megan & Rostad, Whitney & Ford, Derek C. & Merrick, Melissa T. & Murphy, Catherine A. & Bart. Klika, J., 2022. "Early childhood education and care policies in the U.S. And their impact on family violence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Deana Grobe & Elizabeth E. Davis & Ellen K. Scott & Roberta B. Weber, 2017. "Using Policy-Relevant Administrative Data in Mixed Methods: A Study of Employment Instability and Parents’ Use of Child Care Subsidies," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 146-162, March.
    4. Davis, Elizabeth E. & Krafft, Caroline & Forry, Nicole D., 2017. "Understanding churn: Predictors of reentry among families who leave the child care subsidy program in Maryland," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 34-45.
    5. Ahn, Haksoon, 2012. "Child care subsidy, child care costs, and employment of low-income single mothers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 379-387.
    6. Christoph Zangger & Janine Widmer & Sandra Gilgen, 2021. "Work, Childcare, or Both? Experimental Evidence on the Efficacy of Childcare Subsidies in Raising Parental Labor Supply," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 449-472, September.
    7. Ha, Yoonsook & Miller, Daniel P., 2015. "Child care subsidies and employment outcomes of low-income families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-148.
    8. Christina Gathmann & Björn Sass, 2012. "Taxing Childcare: Effects on Family Labor Supply and Children," CESifo Working Paper Series 3776, CESifo.
    9. Herbst, Chris M. & Tekin, Erdal, 2010. "Child care subsidies and child development," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 618-638, August.
    10. John Iceland & Arthur Sakamoto, 2022. "The Prevalence of Hardship by Race and Ethnicity in the USA, 1992–2019," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(5), pages 2001-2036, October.
    11. 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).
    12. 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.
    13. Johnson, Anna D. & Martin, Anne & Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, 2011. "Who uses child care subsidies? Comparing recipients to eligible non-recipients on family background characteristics and child care preferences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1072-1083, July.
    14. Jaume, David & Willén, Alexander, 2021. "The effect of teacher strikes on parents," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    15. Kang, Ji Young & Huh, Soo Yeon, 2024. "Effect of universal child care subsidy on child-rearing costs by mothers’ working status in South Korea," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    16. Owen N. Schochet & Anna D. Johnson, 2019. "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Mothers’ Education Outcomes," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 367-389, September.
    17. Markowitz, Anna J. & Ryan, Rebecca M. & Johnson, Anna D., 2014. "Child care subsidies and child care choices: The moderating role of household structure," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 230-240.
    18. Colleen Heflin & Hannah Patnaik, 2023. "Material Hardship and the Living Arrangements of Older Americans," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 267-284, June.
    19. Allison De Marco & Lynne Vernon-Feagans, 2015. "Child Care Subsidy Use and Child Care Quality in Low-Wealth, Rural Communities," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 383-395, September.
    20. Johnson, Anna D. & Herbst, Chris M., 2013. "Can we trust parental reports of child care subsidy receipt?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 984-993.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:124:y:2021:i:c:s019074092100058x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.