Publication type
Research Paper
Series Number
225/20
Series
IFS Working Paper Series
Authors
Publication date
May 19, 2025
Summary:
Early Childhood Interventions (ECI) offering disadvantaged children education, care and family services in the US show long-lasting health impacts. Can these benefits hold when these programs are offered in contexts with universal healthcare? We estimate the health impacts of Sure Start, a universal integrated ECI in England, from infancy to adolescence exploiting its rollout and administrative hospitalizations data. One additional Sure Start center per thousand age-eligible children increases hospitalizations by 10% at age 1, largely driven by infections. Admissions at ages 11-12 are reduced by 8-10%, and driven by injuries and mental health related admissions. Impacts are concentrated in disadvantaged areas.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1920/wp.ifs.2025.2025
Subjects
#588873