Paid leave reduces infant mistreatment: MSU Study

Tom Darling
·1 min read

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A new study from Michigan State University identified an effective way to prevent child abuse against babies under 1 year old–offer the parents paid parental leave.

The United States is one of only a few countries that do not offer parental leave funding at the federal level–which leaves the issue up to the states.

Spartan researchers compared states that have paid family leave to those that do not, and found a significant reduction in mistreatment of children in the first year of life.

This is especially true for parents with high levels of poverty, or low levels of education.

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