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Evidence of Impact for Paid Family Leave

Evidence of Impact for Paid Family Leave

Paid family leave is one of the five most effective policies that a state can implement to make sure children get off to a healthy start and thrive, and that promote greater equity in child wellbeing.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act provides new parents with up to 12 weeks of time off following a birth – but this leave is unpaid, leaving this benefit out of reach for most new parents.

The most rigorous research studies show that access to paid leave following the birth, adoption, or the placement of a child into foster care:

IMPACT OF PAID FAMILY LEAVE	EVIDENCE OF IMPACT
Boosts maternal labor force attachment	18.3 percentage point increase in the probability of mothers working 1 year following birth 13% increase in the likelihood of returning to the prebirth employer in the year following birth
Increases a family’s economic security	$3,400 increase in household income 2 percentage point reduction in the poverty rate
Improves maternal mental health	8.6 percentage point increase in mothers reporting good or excellent mental health 5.3 percentage point increase in mothers reporting coping well with the day-to-day demands of parenting
Fosters better parent-child relationships	An increase in mothers’ time spent with children including reading to their children 2.1 more times per week, having breakfast with children 0.7 more times per week, and going on outings with children 1.8 more times per month
Supports child health and development	1.3 percentage point increase in exclusive breastfeeding at age 6 months Up to a 7 percentage point decline in receiving late vaccinations Substantially fewer cases of abusive head trauma among infants and toddlers

Visit the Clearinghouse for the comprehensive evidence review on Paid Family Leave.

The prenatal period to age 3 is the most sensitive and rapid period of growth for the brain and body. State policy choices have a substantial impact on the wellbeing of infants, toddlers, and their parents, and on promoting equity among children. See the Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap for more information on the most effective policies and strategies states can implement to help children thrive from the start.

Have questions? Please contact us.

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08.10.26

2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit

Join us September 29 to explore how the prenatal-to-3 policy landscape changed from 2016 to 2026.

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07.22.26

State Leaders Convene in Nashville for Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s State Policy Academy on Early Childhood Governance

Three-day academy brought together state teams and national experts to examine how governance structures can improve outcomes for young children and families. Nashville, Tennessee – The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College

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07.02.26

Effective Early Childhood Governance: Lessons Learned from Governance Change

Governance change does not happen overnight, and states rarely accomplish it alone. Drawing on case studies of five states that consolidated their early childhood systems, a new brief from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center identifies seven lessons learned, from sustained advocacy to strong, collaborative leadership, that can help state leaders pursue governance change reflecting their own early childhood goals.

Evidence of Impact for Paid Family Leave

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2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit​

State Leaders Convene in Nashville for Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s State Policy Academy on Early Childhood Governance

Effective Early Childhood Governance: Lessons Learned from Governance Change

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2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit