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 Barkly (R), accounting for 49.9% (2,368 people). This share was lower than Regional NT (51.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren, which decreased by 131 people and 2.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Barkly (R) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Barkly (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Barkly (R), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
1,796
% of total
37.8%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
1,796
37.8%
-0.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
910
% of total
19.2%
Change from 2016
+0.9pp
910
19.2%
+0.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
706
% of total
14.9%
Change from 2016
+1.3pp
706
14.9%
+1.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
174
% of total
3.7%
Change from 2016
-2.5pp
174
3.7%
-2.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,368
% of total
49.9%
Change from 2016
+2.8pp
2,368
49.9%
+2.8pp
Not Stated
2021 count
592
% of total
12.5%
Change from 2016
-2.3pp
592
12.5%
-2.3pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-85
-0.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+9
+0.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+36
+1.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-131
-2.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+57
+2.8pp
Not Stated
-137
-2.3pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Barkly (R). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 1,796 | 37.8% | 36.2% | 1,881 | 38.3% | 34.4% | -85 | -0.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 910 | 19.2% | 18.4% | 901 | 18.3% | 19.2% | +9 | +0.9pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 706 | 14.9% | 13.8% | 670 | 13.6% | 11.7% | +36 | +1.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 174 | 3.7% | 3.9% | 305 | 6.2% | 3.5% | -131 | -2.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,368 | 49.9% | 51.6% | 2,311 | 47.1% | 49.0% | +57 | +2.8pp |
| Not Stated | 592 | 12.5% | 12.3% | 729 | 14.8% | 16.6% | -137 | -2.3pp |
| Total | 4,749 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,911 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -162 | 0.0pp |