Parental leave policies and socio-economic gaps in child development: Evidence from a substantial benefit reform using administrative data

A set of policies is at the center of the agenda on early childhood development: parenting programs, childcare regulation and subsidies, cash and in-kind transfers, and parental leave policies. Incentives are embedded in these policies, and households react to them differently. They also have varying effects on child development, both in developed and developing countries. We have learned much about the impact of these policies in the past 20 years. We know that parenting programs can enhance child development, that centre based care might increase female labor force participation and child development, that parental leave policies beyond three months don’t cause improvement in children outcomes, and that the effects of transfers depend much on their design. In this review, we focus on the incentives embedded in these policies, and how they interact with the context and decision makers to understand the heterogeneity of effects and the mechanisms through which these policies work. We conclude by identifying areas of future research.

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The impact of maternal care on child development: Evidence from sibling spillover effects of a parental leave expansion

Labour Economics ◽

10.1016/j.labeco.2018.03.005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 58 ◽

pp. 167-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nagham Sayour

Keyword(s):

Child Development ◽

Maternal Care ◽

Parental Leave ◽

Spillover Effects ◽

The Impact

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M-Health Intervention Has the Potential to Alleviate Constraints in Using Administrative Data Systems for Improving Service Delivery in India

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa053_007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 802-802

Author(s):

Rasmi Avula ◽

Purnima Menon ◽

Sumati Bajaj ◽

Malvika Saxena ◽

Shilpa Deshpande ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Child Development ◽

Administrative Data ◽

Data Use ◽

Data Entry ◽

Program Improvement ◽

Data Systems ◽

Data Completeness ◽

Local Program ◽

Supervisory Staff ◽

Monitor Data

Abstract Objectives Administrative Data (AD) are a key component of nutrition data systems, but little is known about how AD are used or can be reshaped for accountability and action. We studied factors influencing AD use in India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), in two Indian states; and assessed how an m-Health intervention (Common Application Software (CAS)) changes it. ICDS-AD system consolidates data from 11-recording registers updated every month by ∼1.3 million frontline workers (FLW). CAS digitizes these records and creates dashboards for real-time monitoring. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 82) with supervisory staff at sub-district [Lady Supervisors (LS); Child Development Project Officer (CDPO)] and district level [District Program Officer (DPO)] to understand AD use patterns, facilitators and barriers. Data were coded, summarized and analysed across levels of supervisory staff. Results LS supervise FLWs, visit villages monthly to monitor data, and collate it to the sub-district level. Due to limited time and pressures to update AD on time, LS focus on data completeness and not on quality or data use. At the next level, CDPOs review and discuss program targets for indicators with LS, and check data completeness. They create monthly reports on targets for the districts, based on LS reports. At the district, DPOs use compiled reports to review subdistrict performance and discuss any gaps with CDPOs. CAS makes the data entry, compilation and report generation easier for all users. LS can monitor data entry daily in CAS and data collation is automated. CDPOs can review the CAS dashboard and use it to discuss issues with LS and DPOs. However, program target indicators dominate use of data. In CAS areas, these include growth monitoring completion, home visits, identification of malnourished children, and their referral. Overall, data use is target-driven, with indicators for monitoring prioritized by program management. Conclusions Focus of data use has been on reporting up on target indicators rather than on local program improvement, due to staff and time constraints. CAS can address some AD use constraints by easing data entry and data compilation but a data culture that focuses on predetermined target indicators can limit use for local program improvement. Funding Sources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation via grants to IFPRI and UCSF.

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Research to Action

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199337538.013.24 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Ellen Galinsky

Keyword(s):

Public Policy ◽

Child Development ◽

Parental Leave ◽

Development Research ◽

The Past ◽

Action Project ◽

The Subject

This chapter provides an overview of the research of the Families and Work Institute over the past 25 years, showing how it selects the subject of its research, sets its short- and longer-term goals, designs its methodology, and translates the findings into change experiments that can then be evaluated. The examples of research described include research on public policy, specifically on parental leave; employer and employee studies culminating in an action project, the When Work Works initiative; and child development research leading to a project called Mind in the Making.

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The Economic Consequences of Family Policies: Lessons from a Century of Legislation in High-Income Countries

The Journal of Economic Perspectives ◽

10.1257/jep.31.1.205 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 205-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Claudia Olivetti ◽

Barbara Petrongolo

Keyword(s):

Child Development ◽

Gender Equity ◽

Work Experience ◽

Parental Leave ◽

Positive Impact ◽

High Income ◽

Female Employment ◽

Family Policies ◽

Childbearing Age ◽

Early 21St Century

By the early 21st century, most high-income countries have put into effect a host of generous and virtually gender-neutral parental leave policies and family benefits, with the multiple goals of gender equity, higher fertility, and child development. What have been the effects? Proponents typically emphasize the contribution of family policies to the goals of gender equity and child development, enabling women to combine careers and motherhood, and altering social norms regarding gender roles. Opponents often warn that family policies may become a long-term hindrance to women's careers because of the loss of work experience and the higher costs to employers that hire women of childbearing age. We draw lessons from existing work and our own analysis on the effects of parental leave and other interventions aimed at aiding families. We present country- and micro-level evidence on the effects of family policy on gender outcomes, focusing on female employment, gender gaps in earnings, and fertility. Most estimates range from negligible to a small positive impact. But the verdict is far more positive for the beneficial impact of spending on early education and child care.

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