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Application Barriers and the Socioeconomic Gap in Child Care Enrollment

Author

Listed:
  • Henning Hermes

    (ifo Institute Munich)

  • Philipp Lergetporer

    (Technical University of Munich)

  • Frauke Peter

    (German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies)

  • Simon Wiederhold

    (University of Halle)

Abstract

Why are children with lower socioeconomic status (SES) substantially less likely to be enrolled in child care? We study whether barriers in the application process work against lower-SES children — the group known to benefit strongest from child care enrollment. In an RCT in Germany with highly subsidized child care (N = 607), we offer treated families information and personal assistance for applications. We find substantial, equity-enhancing effects of the treatment, closing half of the large SES gap in child care enrollment. Increased enrollment for lower-SES families is likely driven by altered application knowledge and behavior. We discuss scalability of our intervention and derive policy implications for the design of universal child care programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Henning Hermes & Philipp Lergetporer & Frauke Peter & Simon Wiederhold, 2024. "Application Barriers and the Socioeconomic Gap in Child Care Enrollment," Working Papers 2024-022, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2024-022
    Note: ECI
    as

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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Hermes_Lergetporer_Peter_etal_2024_application-barriers-SE-gap-child-care.pdf
    File Function: First version, August 2024
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    early childhood; educational inequality; randomized controlled trial;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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