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 Cobden, accounting for 69.4% (1,056 people). This share was higher than Corangamite (S) (68.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 1,039 people and 30.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Cobden - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Cobden in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Corangamite (S) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cobden, with comparison markers for Corangamite (S).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
372
% of total
24.5%
Change from 2016
+6.3pp
372
24.5%
+6.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
225
% of total
14.8%
Change from 2016
-3.4pp
225
14.8%
-3.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
133
% of total
8.7%
Change from 2016
+1.9pp
133
8.7%
+1.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
14
% of total
0.9%
Change from 2016
+0.9pp
14
0.9%
+0.9pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,056
% of total
69.4%
Change from 2016
+30.8pp
1,056
69.4%
+30.8pp
Not Stated
2021 count
100
% of total
6.6%
Change from 2016
-20.7pp
100
6.6%
-20.7pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+364
+6.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+217
-3.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+130
+1.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+14
+0.9pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+1,039
+30.8pp
Not Stated
+88
-20.7pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Cobden. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Corangamite (S).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Corangamite (S)% | Count | % | Corangamite (S)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 372 | 24.5% | 23.7% | 8 | 18.2% | 25.8% | +364 | +6.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 225 | 14.8% | 16.3% | 8 | 18.2% | 17.5% | +217 | -3.4pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 133 | 8.7% | 6.8% | 3 | 6.8% | 7.6% | +130 | +1.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 14 | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.7% | +14 | +0.9pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,056 | 69.4% | 68.2% | 17 | 38.6% | 63.6% | +1,039 | +30.8pp |
| Not Stated | 100 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 12 | 27.3% | 10.6% | +88 | -20.7pp |
| Total | 1,521 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 44 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,477 | 0.0pp |