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 Schofields, accounting for 52.2% (5,699 people). This share was lower than Blacktown (C) (64.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 3,775 people, while its share fell by 5.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Schofields - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Schofields in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Blacktown (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Schofields, with comparison markers for Blacktown (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
4,649
% of total
42.5%
Change from 2016
+5.9pp
4,649
42.5%
+5.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
4,255
% of total
38.9%
Change from 2016
+10.4pp
4,255
38.9%
+10.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
349
% of total
3.2%
Change from 2016
-4.0pp
349
3.2%
-4.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
43
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
43
0.4%
-0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
5,699
% of total
52.2%
Change from 2016
-5.4pp
5,699
52.2%
-5.4pp
Not Stated
2021 count
578
% of total
5.3%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
578
5.3%
-0.5pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+3,427
+5.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+3,302
+10.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+107
-4.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+21
-0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+3,775
-5.4pp
Not Stated
+384
-0.5pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Schofields. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Blacktown (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Blacktown (C)% | Count | % | Blacktown (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 4,649 | 42.5% | 29.3% | 1,222 | 36.6% | 31.1% | +3,427 | +5.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 4,255 | 38.9% | 25.3% | 953 | 28.5% | 23.8% | +3,302 | +10.4pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 349 | 3.2% | 3.6% | 242 | 7.2% | 6.6% | +107 | -4.0pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 43 | 0.4% | 0.3% | 22 | 0.7% | 0.7% | +21 | -0.3pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 5,699 | 52.2% | 64.1% | 1,924 | 57.6% | 62.0% | +3,775 | -5.4pp |
| Not Stated | 578 | 5.3% | 6.6% | 194 | 5.8% | 7.0% | +384 | -0.5pp |
| Total | 10,927 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 3,341 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +7,586 | 0.0pp |