When Fathers Step In: Long-Term Consequences of Early Paternal Involvement

• Authors: Sébastien Fontenay and Libertad González
• BSE Working Paper: 1542 | December 25
• Keywords: paternity leave , intergenerational effects
• JEL codes: J08, J13, J16, J18

We estimate the long-term impact of early paternal involvement by exploiting the 2002 Belgian paternity leave introduction as a natural experiment. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that the reform significantly increased fathers’ long-term time investment in childcare. Tracking children into early adulthood, we find precisely estimated null effects on a comprehensive set of outcomes, including educational attainment, labor market attachment, and family formation. These results hold across subgroups, including children of low and high- educated fathers. We conclude that while paternity leave may increase father involvement, it does not generate detectable advantages (or disadvantages) in children’s early adult lives.