Effects of Extending Paid Parental Leave on Children's Socio-Emotional Skills and Well-Being in Adolescence

Arbeitspapier

We study how children's socio-emotional skills and well-being in adolescence are affected by an increase in the duration of parental care during infancy. Exploiting a Danish reform that extended paid parental leave in 2002 and effectively delayed children's entry into formal out-of-home care, we show that longer leave increases adolescent well-being, conscientiousness and emotional stability, and reduces school absenteeism. The effects are strongest for children of mothers who would have taken short leave in absence of the reform. This highlights how time spent with a parent is particularly productive during very early childhood.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 15421

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth ; Demographic Economics: Public Policy ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; General Welfare; Well-Being
• Subject: personality ; socio-emotional skills ; parental investments ; skill formation ; early childhood ; parental leave ; well-being ; adolescence

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Houmark, Mikkel Aagaard ; Jørgensen, Cecilie Marie Løchte ; Kristiansen, Ida Lykke ; Gensowski, Miriam
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/263637
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET