Close to home: A simultaneous equations model of the relationship between child care accessibility and female labor force participation

Chris Herbst, Burt S. Barnow

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rising rates of maternal employment among current and former welfare recipients have increased the use of non-parental child care. Little empirical work examines the relationship between women's labor supply and the geographic supply of child care. We combine census data with child care provider information for the state of Maryland to explore the relationship between female labor supply and the geographic supply of child care. OLS and 3-SLS equations are estimated, and the findings are consistent across each estimator: Women's labor supply is sensitive to the geographic supply of child care and vice versa. These results are important because states now spend significant money on quality improvement initiatives, many of which increase child care supply in low-income neighborhoods.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)128-151
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of Family and Economic Issues
Volume29
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2008

Keywords

  • Child care
  • Female labor supply
  • Geography
  • Simultaneous equations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Economics and Econometrics

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