American Economic Review
ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)
Effects of Enhanced Legal Aid in Child Welfare: Evidence from a Randomized Trial of Mi Abogado
American Economic Review
vol. 115,
no. 7, July 2025
(pp. 2306–42)
Abstract
Children spend years in foster care, and bureaucratic hurdles can unnecessarily prolong their stays. The Mi Abogado program was introduced in Chile to enhance legal aid for foster children and accelerate family reunification. In a novel approach, the Chilean government randomized the introduction of the program for children living in institutions to evaluate effects on child well-being. Using registry data, we find the program significantly reduced the duration of foster care without increasing subsequent maltreatment and placements. The exposure also decreased criminal justice involvement and improved school attendance. Results suggest that strengthening foster care services can cost-effectively improve child well-being.Citation
Cooper, Ryan, Joseph J. Doyle, and Andrés Hojman. 2025. "Effects of Enhanced Legal Aid in Child Welfare: Evidence from a Randomized Trial of Mi Abogado." American Economic Review 115 (7): 2306–42. DOI: 10.1257/aer.20230947Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I21 Analysis of Education
- I31 General Welfare; Well-Being
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- K36 Family and Personal Law
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
- O17 Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements