Intervention(s)
In this project, we estimate the causal effect of a randomized controlled trial that increased access to early child care on longer-term maternal labor-market and family outcomes. The original intervention was designed to reduce barriers in the application process for early child care. Treated families received information about the child care application process and, where desired, personalized support with the application. The intervention was intended to reduce informational and administrative barriers that may prevent families from applying for and obtaining an early child care slot.
Hermes et al. (2025) describe the original intervention in detail and show that it increased application behavior and the probability of receiving an early child care slot, in particular among mothers with lower socioeconomic status (SES). Based on self-collected survey data, Hermes et al. (2024) further show that the intervention increased full-time employment among lower-SES mothers and improved intra-household gender equality between mothers and fathers.
The original baseline sample consisted of 607 families. In a previous follow-up, Hermes et al. (2024) re-surveyed 481 of these families. In the current project, we re-contact the original sample of 607 families and expect approximately 450 families to participate in the new follow-up survey. As in previous survey waves, we aim to interview the mothers in this follow-up survey.
No new intervention is administered in this trial. The current project collects longer-term outcomes through a new follow-up survey and administrative labor-market records. Consent for linking survey data to IAB administrative employment records was collected in a previous survey wave using a separate consent procedure developed in consultation with the IAB. Only mothers who provided consent will be included in the administrative data linkage.
Data sources and outcome measurement
Our main maternal labor market outcomes are measured using two data sources.
First, we use administrative employment records from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency for mothers who consented to the data linkage (note that consenting to the data linkage is not affected by treatment status). These data allow us to trace labor-market outcomes over time and to measure longer-term employment and earnings outcomes in administrative records.
Second, we collect new data in a follow-up survey administered in two parts (because of the survey length, the survey has two parts for which participants receive separate invitations) in summer 2026, when the children in the original study are approximately eight years old and mostly attend primary school.
Combining both data types not only maximizes the analysis sample but also allows us to estimate effects over time. While Hermes et al. (2024) examine labor-market outcomes for mothers when their children are 2–3 years old (about eighteen months after the intervention), the administrative data enable us to trace dynamic effects from immediately after the treatment through at least 2024. The survey data will capture mothers' prior and current employment outcomes, allowing us to complement the administrative records and measure longer-run effects when children are around eight years old. Wherever possible, we will pool the administrative and survey data to estimate treatment effects on the largest feasible sample. However, for certain years or outcomes, estimation will necessarily be restricted to one source only, either because the relevant data are unavailable in a given year or because a particular variable is captured in only one of the two datasets.
Note that in most cases, the mother participated in the prior surveys and potentially gave consent to the data linkage. Thus, information about the partner/father and child outcomes mainly comes from survey data reported by the mother.
References
Hermes, H., P. Lergetporer, F. Peter, and S. Wiederhold (2025). Application Barriers and the
Socioeconomic Gap in Child Care Enrollment. Journal of the European Economic Association 23 (3),
1133–1172.
Hermes, H., M. Krauß, P. Lergetporer, F. Peter, and S. Wiederhold (2024). Early Child Care, Maternal
Labor Supply, and Gender Equality: A Randomized Controlled Trial. CESifo Working Paper No. 10178,
Center for Economic Studies.