Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/247152 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
Beiträge zur Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2019: 30 Jahre Mauerfall - Demokratie und Marktwirtschaft - Session: Family Economics II No. E18-V1
Version Description: 
Revised Version: November 29, 2021
Publisher: 
ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Kiel, Hamburg
Abstract: 
We analyse the effect of a mandatory kindergarten for four-year-old children on maternal labour supply in Switzerland by using two quasi-experiments: Firstly, we use a large administrative dataset and apply a non-parametric Regression Discontinuity Design to evaluate the effect of the reform at the birthday cut-off for entering the kindergarten in the same versus in the following year. Secondly, we complement this analysis by exploiting spatial variation and staggered treatment implementation of the reform across cantons (administrative units in Switzerland) in a Difference-in-Differences approach using a Swiss household survey. All in all, the results suggest that if anything, mandatory kindergarten increases the labour force attachment of mothers very moderately. The effects are driven by mothers earning less than the median annual work income of 15,706 CHF and by older mothers (>37).
Subjects: 
mandatory kindergarten
maternal labour supply
regression discontinuity design
difference-in-differences
variable selection
JEL: 
H40
J13
J18
J21
J22
Document Type: 
Conference Paper

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