Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Publication
    Measuring Investment in Human Capital Formation: An Experimental Analysis of Early Life Outcomes
    (University College Dublin. School of Economics, 2013-08) ; ; ; ;
    The literature on skill formation and human capital development clearly demonstrates that early investment in children is an equitable and efficient policy with large returns in adulthood. Yet little is known about the mechanisms involved in producing these long-term effects. This paper presents early evidence on the nature of skill formation based on an experimentally designed, five-year home visiting program in Ireland targeting disadvantaged families - Preparing for Life (PFL). We examine the impact of investment between utero to 18 months of age on a range of parental and child outcomes. Using the methodology of Heckman et al. (2010a), permutation testing methods and a stepdown procedure are applied to account for the small sample size and the increased likelihood of false discoveries when examining multiple outcomes. The results show that the program impact is concentrated on parental behaviors and the home environment, with little impact on child development at this early stage. This indicates that home visiting programs can be effective at offsetting deficits in parenting skills within a relatively short timeframe, yet continued investment may be required to observe direct effects on child development. While correcting for attrition bias leads to some changes in the precision of estimates, overall the results are quite similar.
      556
  • Publication
    Readiness for change : evidence from a study of early childhood care and education centers
    (University College Dublin. Geary Institute, 2009) ; ;
    This study examines factors that influence staff members’ readiness for change in early childhood settings in Ireland. The introduction of a new national framework, designed to improve the quality of Early Childhood Care and Education Centers (ECCECs), has been piloted in several communities. This study measures support for this change in organizational practices using the Organizational Change Recipients’ Belief Scale and uses correlation analysis to determine how readiness for change is linked to job satisfaction and the work environment. Results show that individual staff characteristics had little impact on support for the change, while factors related to group dynamics were significantly associated with readiness for change. Specifically, a positive work environment and greater job satisfaction were associated with a lower belief that there is a need for change, but a higher belief that the staff will be supported by management if the change is introduced.
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