Cultural and social support explanations of the native-migrant gap in the use of day care for pre-school children

Abstract

ABSTRACT Migrant families are generally less likely to use nonparental care for their pre-school-age children than native families. The few studies that have systematically examined the determinants of centre-based care (day care) for migrants have often zoomed in on the migrant population and have not made comparisons with natives nor have they decomposed the migrant-native gap. This paper presents a mediation analysis with an elaborate set of measures conceptually categorised into cultural and social support explanations. Using nationally representative survey data on Dutch parents with origins in Muslim countries and a comparison group of parents with Dutch origins (natives), this paper shows large and growing gaps in the enrolment of 0–4-year old’s in subsidised day care even after controlling for differences in working hours, income, and education. A substantial part of the gap could be explained by cultural differences, particularly the more traditional attitudes toward marriage and family and the higher levels of religiosity among migrants. Of the cultural effects, a lack of trust in institutions appeared to play no role. Social support explanations that rely on alternative sources of support for child care were less important and differences in neighbourhood cohesion served as a suppressor of the gap.