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Complex Decisions between Care and Paid Work : A Qualitative Study on the Demand for ChildcareServices in Mexico City

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  • Muller,Miriam
  • Jaen,Martha

Abstract

This study aims to improve the understanding of the barriers and enabling factorsdetermining the demand for childcare in Mexico City. The study is based on focus group discussions and individualin-depth interviews with mothers and fathers (married or living in a union) of children ages zero to six years. Thefindings of this qualitative analysis confirm that for parents in Mexico City, decisions in favor of or against theuse of childcare are based on: (1) the interplay between women's aspirations, the role of work in their lives,and the additional support they have; and (2) their perceptions of the care available, including convenience,overall quality, perceived opportunities for positive child development, and financial and non-financial costs (safetyand risks to the child’s well-being). The findings suggest that significant differences exist between women with highereducation and those with lower levels of education living in different parts of the city (and from differentsocioeconomic backgrounds: middle-class vis-a-vis vulnerable women). The observed gaps are due to differences in theirability to make informed choices, their aspirations and work opportunities, the alternative support options available tothem, and their ability to adapt to the childcare supply. These results highlight the relevance of: (1) promoting amore balanced distribution of childcare responsibilities between men and women; (2) communicating more transparentlythe benefits of using childcare services and the measures taken to ensure the safety and positive development ofchildren; and (3) adapting the childcare centers' functioning to the needs of working parents.

Suggested Citation

  • Muller,Miriam & Jaen,Martha, 2020. "Complex Decisions between Care and Paid Work : A Qualitative Study on the Demand for ChildcareServices in Mexico City," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9452, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:9452
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gathmann, Christina & Sass, Björn, 2012. "Taxing Childcare: Effects on Family Labor Supply and Children," IZA Discussion Papers 6440, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Elster, Jon, 1989. "Social Norms and Economic Theory," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 3(4), pages 99-117, Fall.
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    4. Pierre Lefebvre & Philip Merrigan, 2008. "Child-Care Policy and the Labor Supply of Mothers with Young Children: A Natural Experiment from Canada," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(3), pages 519-548, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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