Trade-offs between Different Early Childhood Interventions: Evidence from Ecuador

Using a discontinuity in the funding scheme, we evaluate the impact of home visitsand child care centers on poor children and mothers in Ecuador. We find thathome visits are beneficial for children's cognitive outcomes and health and for mothers'psychological well-being but reduce mothers' labor force participation. Childcare centers cause almost the exact opposite effects. Results are consistent with aframework in which child outcomes are determined by the quantity and quality oftime inputs and in which mother’s well-being depends on working hours and childoutcomes.