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 Chittering (S), accounting for 63.9% (3,081 people). This share was higher than Regional WA (62.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 365 people and 2.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Chittering (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Chittering (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Chittering (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
1,306
% of total
27.1%
Change from 2016
-1.5pp
1,306
27.1%
-1.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
893
% of total
18.5%
Change from 2016
-1.5pp
893
18.5%
-1.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
361
% of total
7.5%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
361
7.5%
-0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
53
% of total
1.1%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
53
1.1%
+0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
3,081
% of total
63.9%
Change from 2016
+2.4pp
3,081
63.9%
+2.4pp
Not Stated
2021 count
433
% of total
9.0%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
433
9.0%
-0.9pp
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+43
-1.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+10
-1.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+11
-0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+19
+0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+365
+2.4pp
Not Stated
-3
-0.9pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Chittering (S). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 1,306 | 27.1% | 26.4% | 1,263 | 28.6% | 27.7% | +43 | -1.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 893 | 18.5% | 18.7% | 883 | 20.0% | 20.0% | +10 | -1.5pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 361 | 7.5% | 6.5% | 350 | 7.9% | 6.7% | +11 | -0.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 53 | 1.1% | 1.2% | 34 | 0.8% | 1.0% | +19 | +0.3pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 3,081 | 63.9% | 62.2% | 2,716 | 61.5% | 60.0% | +365 | +2.4pp |
| Not Stated | 433 | 9.0% | 11.4% | 436 | 9.9% | 12.3% | -3 | -0.9pp |
| Total | 4,820 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,413 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +407 | 0.0pp |