A share of new growth for children? Policies for the very young in non-EU Europe and the CIS

Abstract

Economic collapse in the former communist bloc saw the erosion of financial support and services for young children. Since 1998 even the poorer countries of the bloc have seen a return to economic growth. But have the benefits been felt by children? Drawing on administrative and household survey data, this article examines three aspects of government support for young children — maternity benefit, child allowances and preschool provision — in four countries in different parts of the region: Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova and Tajikistan. The article concludes that these services remain vastly inadequate. In some countries child allowances are well targeted towards poorer households, but are too small in size to have an impact. Preschool overwhelmingly benefits urban families and the better-off, while paid maternity leave is increasingly rare. Given what is known about the long-term impact of both early education and early childhood poverty, the findings are of considerable concern.

Keywords

Albania Bulgaria family allowances maternity benefit Moldova preschool poverty Tajikistan

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alderman, H. (1998) `Social Assistance in Albania: Decentralization and Targeted Transfers', Living Standards Measurement Study Working Paper Number 134. Washington, DC.: The World Bank.

Atkinson, A.B. (1995) `On Targeting and Family Benefits', in Incomes and the Welfare State: Essays on Britain and Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Atkinson, A.B. and Micklewright, J. (1992) Economic Transformation in Eastern Europe and the Distribution of Income. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Bradshaw, J. and Finch, N. (2002) A Comparison of Child Benefit Packages in 22 Countries, Research Report No. 174. Leeds: Corporate Document Services, Department for Work and Pensions.

Cornia, G.A. (2004) `Poverty, Inequality and Policy in Moldova`, mimeo.

Duncan, G. and Brooks-Gunn, J. (1997) Consequences of Growing Up Poor. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Gregg, P. , Washbrook, E. , Propper, C. and Burgess, S. (2005) 'The Effects of a Mother's Return to Work Decision on Child Development in the UK', Economic Journal 115 (501): F48-F80.

Grogan, L. (2002) `What Caused the Post-transition Fertility Decline in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union?' Department of Economics Discussion Paper No. 2002-5. Guelph, Ontario: University of Guelph.

Menchini, L. and Redmond, G. (2006) `Child Consumption Poverty in South Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States', Innocenti Working Paper No. 2006-04. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre.

10.

Penn, H. (2004) `Childcare and Early Childhood Development Programmes and Policies: their Relationship to Eradicating Child Poverty', CHIP Report No. 8. London: Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre.

11.

Ruhm, C.J. (2000) `Parental Leave and Child Health', Journal of Health Economics 19 (6): 931-60.

12.

Stewart, K. and Huerta, C. (2006) `Reinvesting in Children? Policies for the Very Young in South Eastern Europe and the CIS', Innocenti Working Paper No. 2006-01 . UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre: Florence.

13.

Sylva, K. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project: Findings from the Early Primary Years. London : Department for Education and Skills.

14.

Tanaka, S. (2005) 'Parental Leave and Child Health Across OECD Countries' , Economic Journal 115 (501): F7-F28.

15.

UNICEF (1997) Children at Risk in Central and Eastern Europe: Perils and Promises, Regional Monitoring Report No. 4. Florence: UNICEF International Child Development Centre.

16.

UNICEF (2004) Innocenti Social Monitor 2004: Economic Growth and Child Poverty in the CEE/CIS and the Baltic States. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre.

17.

Waldfogel, J. (2006) What Children Need. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

18.

Waldfogel, J. , Han, W. and Brooks-Gunn, J. (2002) `The Effects of Early Maternal Employment on Child Cognitive Development', Demography 39 (2): 369-92.

19.

World Bank (2003) `Albania Poverty Assessment', Report No. 26213-AL. Washington, DC: World Bank.