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, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in East Arnhem (R), accounting for 57% (3,842 people). This share was higher than Regional NT (36.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which increased by 490 people and 4.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
East Arnhem (R) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for East Arnhem (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for East Arnhem (R), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
3,842
% of total
57.0%
Change from 2016
+4.9pp
3,842
57.0%
+4.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
1,167
% of total
17.3%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
1,167
17.3%
-0.2pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
1,967
% of total
29.2%
Change from 2016
+3.6pp
1,967
29.2%
+3.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
709
% of total
10.5%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
709
10.5%
+1.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,390
% of total
35.4%
Change from 2016
-1.6pp
2,390
35.4%
-1.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
509
% of total
7.5%
Change from 2016
-3.3pp
509
7.5%
-3.3pp
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+490
+4.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+42
-0.2pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+322
+3.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+128
+1.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+9
-1.6pp
Not Stated
-189
-3.3pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for East Arnhem (R). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 3,842 | 57.0% | 36.2% | 3,352 | 52.1% | 34.4% | +490 | +4.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 1,167 | 17.3% | 18.4% | 1,125 | 17.5% | 19.2% | +42 | -0.2pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 1,967 | 29.2% | 13.8% | 1,645 | 25.6% | 11.7% | +322 | +3.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 709 | 10.5% | 3.9% | 581 | 9.0% | 3.5% | +128 | +1.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,390 | 35.4% | 51.6% | 2,381 | 37.0% | 49.0% | +9 | -1.6pp |
| Not Stated | 509 | 7.5% | 12.3% | 698 | 10.8% | 16.6% | -189 | -3.3pp |
| Total | 6,743 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 6,435 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +308 | 0.0pp |