The impact of the Indonesian financial crisis on children: An analysis using the 100 villages data

This paper examines the impact of the Asian financial crisis on children in Indonesia. Specifically, data from four rounds of the 100 Villages Survey are used to examine changes in school attendance rates, child labour force participation and health status. The paper also examines ways in which hous eholds are coping with the crisis. The findings provide little evidence tha t the crisis has had a dramatic negative impact on children. School attenda nce dropped slightly after the onset of the crisis but has since rebounded to higher than pre-crisis levels. Fewer children are now working, although the older children who are working and not attending school seem to be work ing longer hours. Comparisons of child health status indicators over time a re complicated by changes in the questionnaire but appear to show a relativ ely stable pattern of child health.