Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP7203
Authors: Pierre Dubois; Marta Rubio-Codina
Abstract: We semiparametrically estimate the impact of the Mexican conditional cash transfer program Oportunidades on the time mothers and older sisters spend taking care of children aged under 3, using the randomization of the program placement and the methodology in Lewbel (2000). Results support the existence of substitution effects: mothers in treatment households are more likely to substitute for their older daughters? time to child care. As a result, daughters devote more time to schooling and less taking care of their younger siblings. Overall, total household time allocated to child care increases. These findings indicate that Oportunidades not only fosters human capital accumulation through keeping teenage girls in school but also through more and arguably better (mother provided) child care.
Keywords: Child care provision; Conditional cash transfer programs; Semiparametric estimation; Substitution effects
JEL Codes: D10; I00; J13; J22
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| time mothers allocate to child care (J22) | quality of child care provided (I24) |
| oportunidades program (J68) | time mothers allocate to child care (J22) |
| oportunidades program (J68) | participation in child care by older daughters (J13) |
| oportunidades program (J68) | schooling activities of older daughters (I24) |
| oportunidades program (J68) | total household time allocated to child care (D13) |
| oportunidades program (J68) | schooling activities for first daughters (I29) |