Periodic Reporting for period 2 - YouCDF (Young Children of Disadvantaged Families: A Comprehensive Analysis of Parental Human Capital Investment and Child Health)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2024-09-01 do 2025-08-31
Promoting the health of newborns and children is a key priority for sustainable development. However, disparities in access to healthcare persist, particularly for vulnerable groups such as undocumented migrants and children living in poverty. The lack of universal health coverage (UHC) is also a significant barrier for irregular migrants. Even where UHC exists, the socioeconomic challenges faced by parents further restrict healthcare access for vulnerable children. Some barriers to maternal investment, such as traditional gender roles, lower levels of maternal education, and limited workforce participation, make it harder to invest in children, as mothers are usually the primary caregivers.
The YouCDF project aims to investigate the extent to which a universal healthcare system can compensate for the limited financial resources available to primary caregivers. The project’s scientific objective is to empirically examine the causal impact of household financial and human capital constraints on child health and well-being in contexts with UHC. Specifically, it aims to test the empirical implications of the theoretical model developed under WP 1 through econometric analyses in WP 2.
By providing microdata–based empirical research, the project systematically analyzes the quantity, types, and effects of parental investment in children. It considers a wide range of outcomes—including children’s physical health, healthcare utilization, birth weight and prenatal care, child labor and education, as well as nutrition and developmental indicators. Through this integrated approach, YouCDF links two key concepts shaping children’s health outcomes: maternal bargaining power and UHC. The project’s findings provide valuable information to support evidence-based policy and decision-making, helping to overcome health inequalities in European countries.
The YouCDF project aims to investigate the extent to which a universal healthcare system can compensate for the limited financial resources available to primary caregivers. The project’s scientific objective is to empirically examine the causal impact of household financial and human capital constraints on child health and well-being in contexts with UHC. Specifically, it aims to test the empirical implications of the theoretical model developed under WP 1 through econometric analyses in WP 2.
By providing microdata–based empirical research, the project systematically analyzes the quantity, types, and effects of parental investment in children. It considers a wide range of outcomes—including children’s physical health, healthcare utilization, birth weight and prenatal care, child labor and education, as well as nutrition and developmental indicators. Through this integrated approach, YouCDF links two key concepts shaping children’s health outcomes: maternal bargaining power and UHC. The project’s findings provide valuable information to support evidence-based policy and decision-making, helping to overcome health inequalities in European countries.
The YouCDF project is organized into six work packages (WPs):
1.WP1: Conceptual Framework Development – This WP focuses on building the conceptual framework of the project. The main achievement for this WP is the preparation of the scientific background with the literature review, technical training at the outgoing phase, and incorporation of expert feedback.
2.WP2: Empirical Analysis – The project contributes to the state of the art by documenting the relationship between family resources and health outcomes in the existence of UHC. Using different instruments as examples of financial constraints (higher fertility) or the relaxation of these constraints through government policy (minimum wage or cash and in-kind transfers), the project provides robust causal evidence on how household resources interact with public health systems to shape child and maternal outcomes.
The main achievements of this WP are progress for three working papers and achieving methodological milestones to enhance robustness in findings and integration of alternative data sources (Demographic Health Survey, Turkey Child Survey, Turkey Health Survey) for a comprehensive analysis.
3.WP3: Documentation of Undernutrition and Mental Development Links – For this work package, data cleaning and calculation of critical metrics, such as the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children, have been completed to document the association between undernutrition and children's mental development. The main achievements are presenting the data that outlines the scope of undernutrition and supporting broader research on the long-term effects of household resources on child health.
4. WP4: Management-This WP is for management of the project. Achievement of this WP ensured the timely and effective coordination of project activities, including the submission of required deliverables and periodic reports.
5. WP5: Training- This WP is for gaining the transferable skills for two-way transfer of knowledge. It enhanced the researcher’s transferable skills through advanced training provided by the host institutions.
6. WP6: Dissemination/Exploitation/Communication-This WP facilitated the communication and dissemination of project results via the project website, a workshop hosted at the beneficiary institution, and presentations at seminars, conferences, scientific meetings, and publications.
Each WP contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how household resources affect children's health and well-being, providing valuable insights to support policies aimed at reducing inequalities in child health.
1.WP1: Conceptual Framework Development – This WP focuses on building the conceptual framework of the project. The main achievement for this WP is the preparation of the scientific background with the literature review, technical training at the outgoing phase, and incorporation of expert feedback.
2.WP2: Empirical Analysis – The project contributes to the state of the art by documenting the relationship between family resources and health outcomes in the existence of UHC. Using different instruments as examples of financial constraints (higher fertility) or the relaxation of these constraints through government policy (minimum wage or cash and in-kind transfers), the project provides robust causal evidence on how household resources interact with public health systems to shape child and maternal outcomes.
The main achievements of this WP are progress for three working papers and achieving methodological milestones to enhance robustness in findings and integration of alternative data sources (Demographic Health Survey, Turkey Child Survey, Turkey Health Survey) for a comprehensive analysis.
3.WP3: Documentation of Undernutrition and Mental Development Links – For this work package, data cleaning and calculation of critical metrics, such as the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children, have been completed to document the association between undernutrition and children's mental development. The main achievements are presenting the data that outlines the scope of undernutrition and supporting broader research on the long-term effects of household resources on child health.
4. WP4: Management-This WP is for management of the project. Achievement of this WP ensured the timely and effective coordination of project activities, including the submission of required deliverables and periodic reports.
5. WP5: Training- This WP is for gaining the transferable skills for two-way transfer of knowledge. It enhanced the researcher’s transferable skills through advanced training provided by the host institutions.
6. WP6: Dissemination/Exploitation/Communication-This WP facilitated the communication and dissemination of project results via the project website, a workshop hosted at the beneficiary institution, and presentations at seminars, conferences, scientific meetings, and publications.
Each WP contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how household resources affect children's health and well-being, providing valuable insights to support policies aimed at reducing inequalities in child health.
Prior to the YouCDF, research on women’s bargaining power within households and its implications for investments in children primarily focused on developing countries, particularly in Africa or agricultural economies. In the European context, existing studies had mostly examined household bargaining power in relation to spouses’ labour supply and household decision-making, but not in connection with maternal investment in child health and well-being. Moreover, there was a growing need to understand these dynamics in Europe, given the demographic and social changes associated with migration from conflict-affected regions in the Middle East and Africa.
The YouCDF project advances the state of the art by providing the first systematic and empirically grounded analysis of the relationship between parental resources, maternal bargaining power, and child health outcomes in a setting with UHC. By combining theoretical modelling and advanced econometric methods, YouCDF identifies the causal pathways through which household-level constraints interact with public healthcare systems to influence early-life outcomes.
The first set of results uses fertility as an instrument for women’s bargaining power within the household. Contrary to findings from developing-country settings, the results show no significant increase in untreated child health problems when the number of children increases. This suggests that UHC may mitigate the negative effects of reduced maternal bargaining power on access to child healthcare. This finding provides new evidence from a European context, highlighting the equalizing potential of comprehensive healthcare systems.
The second set of results demonstrates that increases in the minimum wage during pregnancy improve birth outcomes, even in the presence of UHC. A 30% increase in the minimum wage led to higher birth weights and better prenatal care utilization, without causing job losses among expectant mothers. The positive effects are most pronounced among urban, older, and more educated women, groups more likely to benefit from formal employment. This evidence introduces a novel welfare channel of minimum wage policies, demonstrating that income gains can improve child health by strengthening women’s bargaining position and facilitating better health investments.
The third set of findings examines unconditional cash and in-kind transfers to low-income families as another mechanism for altering intra-household resource allocation. These transfers were associated with improvements in children’s welfare, particularly through reductions in child labor and domestic work among girls, as well as enhanced emotional well-being among boys. While no direct effects on physical health were observed, these results demonstrate that income support policies can reduce non-market work burdens on children.
Together, these findings extend the frontier of knowledge on how public policies that affect household income and women’s bargaining power translate into better child outcomes, even in contexts where UHC is already in place. The YouCDF project thus bridges the gap between development economics and European social policy research, generating policy-relevant evidence on how redistributive policies—such as minimum wage regulations and cash transfers—can reinforce the goals of universal healthcare and promote equitable child development.
The YouCDF project advances the state of the art by providing the first systematic and empirically grounded analysis of the relationship between parental resources, maternal bargaining power, and child health outcomes in a setting with UHC. By combining theoretical modelling and advanced econometric methods, YouCDF identifies the causal pathways through which household-level constraints interact with public healthcare systems to influence early-life outcomes.
The first set of results uses fertility as an instrument for women’s bargaining power within the household. Contrary to findings from developing-country settings, the results show no significant increase in untreated child health problems when the number of children increases. This suggests that UHC may mitigate the negative effects of reduced maternal bargaining power on access to child healthcare. This finding provides new evidence from a European context, highlighting the equalizing potential of comprehensive healthcare systems.
The second set of results demonstrates that increases in the minimum wage during pregnancy improve birth outcomes, even in the presence of UHC. A 30% increase in the minimum wage led to higher birth weights and better prenatal care utilization, without causing job losses among expectant mothers. The positive effects are most pronounced among urban, older, and more educated women, groups more likely to benefit from formal employment. This evidence introduces a novel welfare channel of minimum wage policies, demonstrating that income gains can improve child health by strengthening women’s bargaining position and facilitating better health investments.
The third set of findings examines unconditional cash and in-kind transfers to low-income families as another mechanism for altering intra-household resource allocation. These transfers were associated with improvements in children’s welfare, particularly through reductions in child labor and domestic work among girls, as well as enhanced emotional well-being among boys. While no direct effects on physical health were observed, these results demonstrate that income support policies can reduce non-market work burdens on children.
Together, these findings extend the frontier of knowledge on how public policies that affect household income and women’s bargaining power translate into better child outcomes, even in contexts where UHC is already in place. The YouCDF project thus bridges the gap between development economics and European social policy research, generating policy-relevant evidence on how redistributive policies—such as minimum wage regulations and cash transfers—can reinforce the goals of universal healthcare and promote equitable child development.