Early education and care for refugees: Effects on maternal employment, well-being and integration

This study examines the impact of early education and care services on the labour market integration of Ukrainian refugee mothers in Germany. The analysis uses a new, large and representative panel data set (IAB-BiB/FReDA-BAMF-SOEP Survey) of refugees arriving in Germany after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Our empirical approach exploits regional differences in child care availability and the age of the youngest child to generate exogenous variation in children’s access to early education and care services.

Our results reveal very strong effects on mothers’ participation in language classes, work intentions and actual employment, as well as their time with Germans. Placebo checks using mothers with older children support a causal interpretation of our findings. Our study highlights the importance of investing in early education and care services to facilitate the integration of refugee mothers in host societies.

Joint work with Ludovica Gambaro, Sophia Schmitz, C. Katharina Spieß and Mathias Hübener.

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