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With a Little Help from Nurseries. Childcare Services and Mothers’ Employment in Italy

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Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of an Italian government initiative launched in 2007, which allocated e1 billion to regional governments to enhance early childhood care services for children aged 0-2, targeting both public and private childcare options. Exploiting variations in the timing of implementation across regions, we assess the program’s effectiveness in increasing the public provision of early childcare services and maternal labor market participation. Results show a significant increase in both public childcare slots and labor market participation among mothers. However, the initiative had limited effects on less-educated women, likely due to the service’s relatively high costs, which may hinder broader accessibility.

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  • Chiara Puccioni & Daniela Vuri, 2024. "With a Little Help from Nurseries. Childcare Services and Mothers’ Employment in Italy," CEIS Research Paper 588, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 19 Dec 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:rtv:ceisrp:588
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    early childcare services; mothers’ labor supply; staggered difference-in-difference; dynamic estimates;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • 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

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