We study the effect of unemployment on birth outcomes by exploiting geographical variation in the unemployment rate …-percentage point increase in the unemployment rate leads to an increase in low birth weight and preterm babies of respectively 1.3 and … 1.4%, and a 0.1% decrease in foetal growth. We find heterogenous responses: unemployment has an effect on babies' health …

Child maltreatment is pervasive, often undetected, yet harmful. We investigate whether it is impacted by unemployment … from 2004 to 2012. Using an industry shift-share instrument to identify county-level unemployment effects, we find a … investments. Expenditures on children remain stable during recessions. Instead, higher local-area unemployment rate reduces …