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 Manunda, accounting for 69.9% (3,049 people). This share was higher than Cairns (R) (64.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 3,027 people, while its share fell by 8.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Manunda - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Manunda in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Manunda, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
813
% of total
18.6%
Change from 2016
+18.6pp
813
18.6%
+18.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
590
% of total
13.5%
Change from 2016
+2.8pp
590
13.5%
+2.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
197
% of total
4.5%
Change from 2016
+4.5pp
197
4.5%
+4.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
22
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
22
0.5%
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
3,049
% of total
69.9%
Change from 2016
-8.7pp
3,049
69.9%
-8.7pp
Not Stated
2021 count
501
% of total
11.5%
Change from 2016
-6.4pp
501
11.5%
-6.4pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+813
+18.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+587
+2.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+197
+4.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+22
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+3,027
-8.7pp
Not Stated
+496
-6.4pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Manunda. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 813 | 18.6% | 25.5% | 0 | 0.0% | 27.6% | +813 | +18.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 590 | 13.5% | 19.0% | 3 | 10.7% | 20.3% | +587 | +2.8pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 197 | 4.5% | 5.6% | 0 | 0.0% | 6.3% | +197 | +4.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 22 | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0 | 0.0% | 1.0% | +22 | +0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 3,049 | 69.9% | 64.8% | 22 | 78.6% | 61.5% | +3,027 | -8.7pp |
| Not Stated | 501 | 11.5% | 9.7% | 5 | 17.9% | 11.0% | +496 | -6.4pp |
| Total | 4,362 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 28 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +4,334 | 0.0pp |