Does reform in Kazakhstan improve access to childcare? Evidence from nationally-representative surveys

During Soviet era, Kazakhstan enjoyed universal free-of-charge access to childcare. After the commencement of economic and political transition, and the achievement of independence in 1991, attendance in childcare programs dropped significantly. This reduction in attendance was accompanied by a growing gap in access caused by wealth, language, mother's education, and regional disparities. Responding to the reduction in attendance as well as growing inequalities with respect to attendance, the government of Kazakhstan initiated a bold program of reforms aimed at improving access to childcare. This paper represents an initial assessment of the success of these reforms using a unique set of nationally-representative surveys. We found that, in general, the reform was successful in increasing childcare attendance. However, the results of the reform fell short of their target. However, the reform significantly reduced the role of household wealth as a barrier to attendance. Nevertheless, the wealth of a household remains an important determinant of attendance. Additionally, although the reform successfully mitigated gaps in attendance which were based on language spoken and education of mother, regional disparities remain significant.