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Parental Inputs and Socio-economic Gaps in Early Child Development
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Parental Inputs and Socio-economic Gaps in Early Child Development

Author

Listed:
  • Lindsey Macmillan
  • Emma Tominey

Abstract

By the time children start school, socio-economic gaps are evident in child skills. We document a causal effect of a reform to mothers' education on her child's skills and use mediation analysis to explore the role of parental inputs as mechanisms. The reform shifted mothers' education from no, to a low level of qualifications. Our results suggest that financial resources are an important channel, explaining up to 59% of the effect on child cognitive skills. On top of this, parental investments of health behaviours during pregnancy and monetary investments at home explain a further 14% of the test score gaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Lindsey Macmillan & Emma Tominey, 2019. "Parental Inputs and Socio-economic Gaps in Early Child Development," Working Papers 2019-065, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2019-065
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Cheti Nicoletti & Kjell G. Salvanes & Emma Tominey, 2023. "Mothers Working during Preschool Years and Child Skills: Does Income Compensate?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(2), pages 389-429.
    2. Hélène Le Forner, 2021. "Formation of Children’s Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Skills: Is All Parental Time Equal?," AMSE Working Papers 2117, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    3. Sharma, Smriti & Sunder, Naveen, 2024. "Crime and Human Capital in India," IZA Discussion Papers 17037, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Blaskó, Zsuzsa & da Costa, Patricia & Schnepf, Sylke V., 2021. "Learning Loss and Educational Inequalities in Europe: Mapping the Potential Consequences of the COVID-19 Crisis," IZA Discussion Papers 14298, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child Development; test scores; socio-emotional skills; parental inputs; decomposition; ALSPAC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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