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Universal childcare and long-term effects on child well-being: Evidence from Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Laetitia Lebihan

    (Department of Economics, University of Quebec in Montreal)

  • Catherine Haeck

    (Department of Economics, University of Quebec in Montreal)

  • Philip Merrigan

    (Department of Economics, University of Quebec in Montreal)

Abstract

Starting in 1997, the Canadian province of Quebec implemented a $5 per day universal childcare policy for children aged less than 5 years old. This reform significantly increased mothers' participation in the labor market as well as the proportion of children attending subsidized childcare. In this paper, we evaluate the long-term effects of the policy on child well-being (health, behavior, motor and social development) using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. We follow treated children for more than 9 years and investigate the impact well beyond the first few years of the policy. A nonexperimental evaluation framework based on multiple pre- and posttreatment periods is used to estimate the policy effects. We show that the reform had negative effects on preschool children's well-being, but these effects tend to disappear as the child gets older. We find that this pattern persist even ten years after the implementation of the reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Laetitia Lebihan & Catherine Haeck & Philip Merrigan, 2015. "Universal childcare and long-term effects on child well-being: Evidence from Canada," Working Papers 15-02, Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management, revised Nov 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:grc:wpaper:15-02
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    File URL: https://grch.esg.uqam.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/82/Haeck_Lebihan_Merrigan_GRCH_WP15-02.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jo Blanden & Matthias Doepke & Jan Stuhler, 2022. "Education inequality," CEP Discussion Papers dp1849, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Dore, Emily C. & Wurapa, Jordan, 2024. "The long-term health effects of childhood exposure to social and economic policies: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 352(C).
    3. Lebihan, Laetitia & Mao Takongmo, Charles-Olivier, 2018. "The impact of universal child benefits on family health and behaviours," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(4), pages 415-427.
    4. Daniela Del Boca & Chiara Monfardini & Sarah Grace See, 2022. "Early Childcare Duration and Student' Later Outcomes in Europe," Working Papers 2022-021, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    5. Laetitia Lebihan, 2023. "Minimum wages and health: evidence from European countries," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 85-107, March.
    6. Mara Barschkett, 2022. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children's Health," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2028, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    7. Lebihan, Laetitia & Mao Takongmo, Charles Olivier, 2023. "The effect of paid parental leave on breastfeeding, parental health and behavior," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    8. Jo Blanden & Emilia Del Bono & Kirstine Hansen & Birgitta Rabe, 2022. "Quantity and quality of childcare and children’s educational outcomes," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(2), pages 785-828, April.
    9. Houmark, Mikkel Aagaard & Jørgensen, Cecilie Marie Løchte & Kristiansen, Ida Lykke & Gensowski, Miriam, 2022. "Effects of Extending Paid Parental Leave on Children's Socio-Emotional Skills and Well-Being in Adolescence," IZA Discussion Papers 15421, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. LEBIHAN, Laetitia & MAO TAKONGMO, Charles Olivier, 2018. "Mathematics Trajectories and Risk Factors During Childhood," MPRA Paper 88612, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Laia Bosque-Mercader, 2022. "The Effect of a Universal Preschool Programme on Long-Term Health Outcomes: Evidence from Spain," Working Papers 2022-07, FEDEA.
    12. Datta Gupta, Nabanita & Simonsen, Marianne, 2016. "Academic performance and type of early childhood care," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 217-229.
    13. Bosque-Mercader, L.;, 2022. "The Effect of a Universal Preschool Programme on Long-Term Health Outcomes: Evidence from Spain," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 22/06, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    14. Marie Connolly & Marie Melanie Fontaine & Catherine Haeck, 2023. "Child Penalties in Canada," Working Papers 23-02, Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management.
    15. Shuang Yang, 2021. "The Long-Run Effects of Early Childhood Education and Care—An Empirical Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 2021-2044, October.
    16. Hojman, Andrés & Lopez Boo, Florencia, 2022. "Public childcare benefits children and mothers: Evidence from a nationwide experiment in a developing country," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    17. Daniel Kuehnle & Michael Oberfichtner, 2020. "Does Starting Universal Childcare Earlier Influence Children’s Skill Development?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 61-98, February.
    18. Lee, Siha & Liu, Sitian, 2024. "Fertility incentives in Canada: A cohort analysis," CLEF Working Paper Series 75, Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), University of Waterloo.
    19. Jens Dietrichson & Ida Lykke Kristiansen & Bjørn A. Viinholt, 2020. "Universal Preschool Programs And Long‐Term Child Outcomes: A Systematic Review," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(5), pages 1007-1043, December.
    20. Mara Barschkett, 2022. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children’s Health," Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers 0005, Berlin School of Economics.
    21. Pierre Lefebvre & Claude Felteau, 2023. "Can universal preschool education intensities counterbalance parental socioeconomic gradients? Repeated international evidence from Fourth graders skills achievement," Working Papers 23-01, Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management.
    22. DIARRA, Setou & LEBIHAN, Laetitia & MAO TAKONGMO, Charles Olivier, 2018. "Polygyny, Child Education, Health and Labour: Theory and Evidence from Mali," MPRA Paper 88518, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Catherine Haeck & Marie Connolly, 2019. "Point de vue sur l'accessibilité aux données des administrations publiques," Working Papers 19-04, Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management.
    24. Barschkett, Mara, 2023. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children's Health," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277588, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    universal childcare; child well-being; childcare policy; natural experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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