wow-inequalities/02-data/intermediate/wos_sample/23df0c6e8e8f10c3089f3f6bac51accb-ruhm-christopher-j./info.yaml

abstract: 'The struggle to balance work responsibilities with family obligations

  may be most difficult for working parents of the youngest children,

  those five and under. Any policy changes designed to ease the

  difficulties for these families are likely to be controversial,

  requiring a careful effort to weigh both the costs and benefits of

  possible interventions while respecting diverse and at times conflicting

  American values. In this article, Christopher Ruhm looks at two

  potential interventions-parental leave and early childhood education and

  care (ECEC)-comparing differences in policies in the United States,

  Canada, and several European nations and assessing their consequences

  for important parent and child outcomes.

  By and large, Canadian and European policies are more generous than

  those in the United States, with most women eligible for paid maternity

  leave, which in a few countries can last for three years or more. Many

  of these countries also provide for paid leave that can be used by

  either the mother or the father. And in many European countries ECEC

  programs are nearly universal after the child reaches a certain age. In

  the United States, parental leave, if it is available, is usually short

  and unpaid, and ECEC is generally regarded as a private responsibility

  of parents, although some federal programs help defray costs of care and

  preschool education.

  Ruhm notes that research on the effects of differences in policies is

  not completely conclusive, in part because of the difficulty of

  isolating consequences of leave and ECEC policies from other influences

  on employment and children''s outcomes. But, he says, the comparative

  evidence does suggest desirable directions for future policy in the

  United States. Policies establishing rights to short parental leaves

  increase time at home with infants and slightly improve the job

  continuity of mothers, with small, but positive, long-run consequences

  for mothers and children. Therefore, Ruhm indicates that moderate

  extensions of existing U. S. leave entitlements (up to several months in

  duration) make sense. He also suggests that some form of paid leave

  would facilitate its use, particularly among less advantaged parents,

  and that efforts to improve the quality of ECEC, while maintaining or

  enhancing affordability, are desirable.'
affiliation: 'Ruhm, CJ (Corresponding Author), Univ Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
  22903 USA.

  Ruhm, Christopher J., Univ Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA.

  Ruhm, Christopher J., Natl Bur Econ Res, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.'
author: Ruhm, Christopher J.
author_list:
- family: Ruhm
  given: Christopher J.
da: '2023-09-28'
eissn: 1550-1558
files: []
issn: 1054-8289
journal: FUTURE OF CHILDREN
keywords-plus: 'MATERNITY LEAVE LEGISLATION; CAREER INTERRUPTIONS; AFFECT FERTILITY;

  FAMILY POLICY; UNITED-STATES; EMPLOYMENT; MOTHERS; HEALTH; IMPACT; GAP'
language: English
month: FAL
number: '2'
number-of-cited-references: '109'
pages: 37-68
papis_id: 152a82a55629301500d6a8fa2005bb97
ref: Ruhm2011policiesassist
times-cited: '44'
title: Policies to Assist Parents with Young Children
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000296020800003
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '70'
volume: '21'
web-of-science-categories: 'Family Studies; Health Policy \& Services; Social Sciences,

  Interdisciplinary'
year: '2011'