Strengthening Systems of Support to Improve Early Childhood Development

• In Event: Supporting Children, Youth, and Families: The Social Safety Net and Student Experiences

Abstract

The adverse effects of childhood poverty on human capital development and economic mobility have been well documented (Chaudry & Wimer, 2016; Duncan et al., 2011). Early intervention through educational and social safety net programs offer promising policy solutions to mitigate these effects (Dreyer, 2019; Heckman & Masterov, 2007).

SNAP is one example that has been found to improve children's health, nutrition, economic, and education outcomes (Frongillo et al., 2006; Hoynes et al., 2016). SNAP's promise hinges on participation. The take up rate among eligible persons is just over 60% (Macartney & Ghertner, 2021).  

Community institutions such as hospitals, schools, churches, community centers, and food banks, serve as critical support networks, offering families resources that can help buffer the effects of poverty (Small, 2006; Wilson, 1987). These institutions may offer families information on additional supports. 

This study advances the state of the field by interrogating whether access to community-based institutional resources shape families' decisions to participate in the federal safety net. Our research sheds light on the interconnected roles of community infrastructure and policy in promoting early childhood well-being. 

We use administrative data from NC that documents all children from birth to age 5 participating in SNAP. These administrative records are supplemented with data from the U.S. Census Bureau to construct a denominator of SNAP-eligible children, enabling a measure of take-up.  

County-level institutional resource availability is assessed using publicly available data sources (NCES Common Core school directory, IPEDS, and Data Axle) to capture the concentration and distribution of key community institutions. Together, these integrated data sources allow for a comprehensive analysis of which children are accessing SNAP and the role of institutional context in shaping program participation. 

This study employs marginal structural models (MSMs) with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to estimate causal effects while addressing selection bias in families’ residential choices (Hong & Raudenbush, 2007; Robins et al., 2000). Residential location is shaped by multiple factors, and community context significantly influences children's developmental and educational outcomes. Prior work shows that neighborhood disadvantage negatively affects early literacy (Sampson et al., 2007) and long-term educational attainment (Wodtke et al., 2011). Building on these frameworks, we estimate the effects of county-level institutional resources on SNAP take-up among young children. 

From a sample of 40 counties in NC, we find that an increase in community resources per child is associated with an increase in SNAP take up. In addition, the level of preschools and K-12 schools are also positively associated with take up. This suggests that the concentration of resources is important for families. In addition, based on the age of the sample, families may be receiving information from the preschools they are attending that is increasing access for families. This highlights the role of schools as a leverage point to ensure families have access to additional out of school resources. Ultimately, this work will improve what is understood about SNAP take up and the relationship between enrollment and the support provided by schools and other community institutions.

Authors

• Katie Pullom, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author

• Brooks Bowden, University of Pennsylvania
  Non-Presenting Co-Author