Erwerbstätigkeit von Frauen: Studie: Kinderbetreuung erhöht Einkommen von Müttern

A study by the Nuremberg Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB) suggests that expanding early childhood education and care in Germany has significantly helped women work more after childbirth and earn more over the long term. The research examined how regional differences in public childcare for children under three years old impact the employment patterns of mothers. The positive effects on mothers' income persist even after the children finish their kindergarten time.

Lisa-Marie Duletzki, an IAB researcher, explained that early childhood education also influences mothers' long-term career development. Women tend to work more frequently in full-time positions and less in part-time jobs after having children. However, mothers still primarily assume the majority of childcare responsibilities post-birth, which often results in reduced employment and potential long-term income losses.

The study found that mothers achieved higher incomes after the 2007 Parental Leave Reform. Around 56% of the overall reduction in workforce participation can be attributed to the expansion of childcare. The positive effects were particularly pronounced in regions where mothers frequently reduced their work after childbirth or experienced significant income losses in the long run. These regions often had lower childcare coverage rates before the expansion, indicating a high demand for the newly created spots.

Germany currently has around 300,000 childcare spots lacking for children under three years old, as stated by Duletzki in the study. Continuously expanding early childhood education could help reduce gender-specific inequalities between men and women in the labor market, according to the researchers.