Childcare costs and the demand for children: Evidence from a nationwide reform

Arbeitspapier

Exploiting the exogenous variation in childcare costs caused by a Swedish childcare reform, we are able to identify the causal effect of childcare costs on fertility in a context in which childcare enrollment is almost universal, user fees are low, and the labor force participation of mothers is very high. Anticipation of a reduction in childcare costs increased the number of first births, but only seemed to affect the timing of second births. We find a negative income effect for families with children already enrolled in child care.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 3210

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents: Household ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
• Subject: childcare ; cost of children ; fertility ; quasi-experiment ; difference-in-differences ; Kinderbetreuung ; Reform ; Kosten ; Frauenerwerbstätigkeit ; Fruchtbarkeit ; Feldforschung ; Schweden

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Mörk, Eva ; Sjögren, Anna ; Svaleryd, Helena
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2010

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/46471
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET