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.

Key insight

In 2021, not providing unpaid child care was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Glen Boughton, accounting for 56.3% (9 people). This share was lower than Cairns (R) (64.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which increased by 3 people and 18.8 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

Glen Boughton - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for Glen Boughton in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Glen Boughton, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).

Glen Boughton
Cairns (R)

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

4

% of total

25.0%

Change from 2016

+11.4pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

3

% of total

18.8%

Change from 2016

+18.8pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

-13.6pp

Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

No Unpaid Child Care Provided

2021 count

9

% of total

56.3%

Change from 2016

+6.3pp

Not Stated

2021 count

3

% of total

18.8%

Change from 2016

-13.0pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for Glen Boughton. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).

Unpaid childcare for Glen Boughton. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Unpaid childcare for Glen Boughton. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
Category20212016Change
Count%Cairns (R)%Count%Cairns (R)%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)425.0%25.5%313.6%27.6%+1+11.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren318.8%19.0%00.0%20.3%+3+18.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren00.0%5.6%313.6%6.3%-3-13.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren00.0%0.8%00.0%1.0%00.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided956.3%64.8%1150.0%61.5%-2+6.3pp
Not Stated318.8%9.7%731.8%11.0%-4-13.0pp
Total16100.0%100.0%22100.0%100.0%-60.0pp