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, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Myrtle Park, accounting for 42.1% (16 people). This share was higher than Edward River (A) (23%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which increased by 16 people and 42.1 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

Myrtle Park - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for Myrtle Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Edward River (A) and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Myrtle Park, with comparison markers for Edward River (A).

Myrtle Park
Edward River (A)

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

16

% of total

42.1%

Change from 2016

+8.8pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

16

% of total

42.1%

Change from 2016

+42.1pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

4

% of total

10.5%

Change from 2016

-3.8pp

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

14

% of total

36.8%

Change from 2016

-1.3pp

Not Stated

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

-33.3pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for Myrtle Park. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Edward River (A).

Unpaid childcare for Myrtle Park. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Edward River (A).
Unpaid childcare for Myrtle Park. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Edward River (A).
Category20212016Change
Count%Edward River (A)%Count%Edward River (A)%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)1642.1%23.0%733.3%24.7%+9+8.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren1642.1%15.3%00.0%16.8%+16+42.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren410.5%6.7%314.3%7.4%+1-3.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren00.0%1.1%00.0%0.5%00.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided1436.8%66.8%838.1%62.9%+6-1.3pp
Not Stated00.0%10.2%733.3%12.3%-7-33.3pp
Total38100.0%100.0%21100.0%100.0%+170.0pp