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Childcare cost and Spanish mother’s labour force participation

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  • Cristina Borra

    (Universidad de Sevilla)

Abstract

In Spain, female labour force participation is among the lowest in Europe. This paper analyzes the extent to which female labour force participation is affected by the cost of formal childcare. Both decisions, labour force participation and formal childcare use, are jointly considered by means of a bi-variate probit model that accounts for the sample selection. Based on data from the Spanish Time Use Survey, the study indicates that Spanish mothers’ labour force participation is very elastic to changes in childcare costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristina Borra, 2010. "Childcare cost and Spanish mother’s labour force participation," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 194(3), pages 9-40, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:hpe:journl:y:2010:v:194:i:3:p:9-40
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    Cited by:

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    2. Edwin Van Gameren & Durfari Velandia Naranjo, 2012. "Working and caring. The simultaneous decision of labor force participation, informal long-term care and childcare services in Mexico," Serie documentos de trabajo del Centro de Estudios Económicos 2012-16, El Colegio de México, Centro de Estudios Económicos.
    3. Lorenz, Svenja & Zwick, Thomas, 2021. "Money also is sunny in a retiree’s world: financial incentives and work after retirement," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 55, pages 1-21.
    4. Ross Richardson & Lia Pacelli & Ambra Poggi & Matteo Richiardi, 2018. "Female Labour Force Projections Using Microsimulation for Six EU Countries," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(2), pages 5-51.
    5. Anna Lovasz & Agnes Szabo-Morvai, 2013. "Does Childcare Matter for Maternal Labor Supply? Pushing the limits of the Regression Discontinuity Framework," Budapest Working Papers on the Labour Market 1313, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    6. María Davia & Nuria Legazpe, 2014. "Determinants of Employment Decisions After the First Child Birth in Spain," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 214-227, June.
    7. Edwin van Gameren, 2013. "The Role of Economic Incentives and Attitudes in Participation and Childcare Decisions," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 296-313, September.
    8. María Suárez, 2013. "Working mothers’ decisions on childcare: the case of Spain," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 545-561, December.
    9. J. Gimenez-Nadal & Jose Molina, 2013. "Parents’ education as a determinant of educational childcare time," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 26(2), pages 719-749, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Childcare costs; female labour participation;

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • C35 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions

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