Employment
Unpaid childcare
About this topic
Unpaid childcare records whether people aged 15 years and over spent time looking after a child without pay, including their own children and other people's children. It reflects the role of parents, grandparents, extended family, and community networks in caring for children.
This topic helps show how childcare is supported outside the paid care sector and can highlight the role of family-based care. It is best interpreted with household type, employment, and income, because unpaid childcare patterns are shaped by family structure, work arrangements, and access to formal childcare.
Interpretation notes
- This records unpaid childcare in the previous two weeks for people aged 15 years and over, including care for a person's own children and other children.
- It identifies whether childcare was provided, not the number of hours or whether care was regular, occasional, or shared with formal services.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, not providing unpaid child care was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Balranald (A), accounting for 62.2% (1,104 people). This share was lower than Regional NSW (67.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which decreased by 86 people and 4.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Balranald (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Balranald (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Balranald (A), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
394
% of total
22.2%
Change from 2016
-4.5pp
394
22.2%
-4.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
286
% of total
16.1%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
286
16.1%
-1.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
97
% of total
5.5%
Change from 2016
-2.1pp
97
5.5%
-2.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
10
% of total
0.6%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
10
0.6%
0.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,104
% of total
62.2%
Change from 2016
+3.5pp
1,104
62.2%
+3.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
279
% of total
15.7%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
279
15.7%
+0.8pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-86
-4.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-39
-1.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-40
-2.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-1
0.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+47
+3.5pp
Not Stated
+10
+0.8pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Balranald (A). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 394 | 22.2% | 25.6% | 480 | 26.7% | 27.1% | -86 | -4.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 286 | 16.1% | 18.2% | 325 | 18.0% | 18.3% | -39 | -1.9pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 97 | 5.5% | 6.6% | 137 | 7.6% | 7.9% | -40 | -2.1pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 10 | 0.6% | 0.8% | 11 | 0.6% | 0.8% | -1 | 0.0pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,104 | 62.2% | 67.1% | 1,057 | 58.7% | 63.3% | +47 | +3.5pp |
| Not Stated | 279 | 15.7% | 7.4% | 269 | 14.9% | 9.6% | +10 | +0.8pp |
| Total | 1,776 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,801 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -25 | 0.0pp |