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 Fairfield East, accounting for 69.8% (2,924 people). This share was lower than Fairfield (C) (74.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Other Child Ren, which decreased by 69 people and 1.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Fairfield East - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Fairfield East in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Fairfield (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Fairfield East, with comparison markers for Fairfield (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
804
% of total
19.2%
Change from 2016
-1.4pp
804
19.2%
-1.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
661
% of total
15.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
661
15.8%
0.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
124
% of total
3.0%
Change from 2016
-1.6pp
124
3.0%
-1.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
10
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
10
0.2%
-0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,924
% of total
69.8%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
2,924
69.8%
-0.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
460
% of total
11.0%
Change from 2016
+1.8pp
460
11.0%
+1.8pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-54
-1.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+3
0.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-69
-1.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-1
-0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-4
-0.5pp
Not Stated
+78
+1.8pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Fairfield East. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Fairfield (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Fairfield (C)% | Count | % | Fairfield (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 804 | 19.2% | 18.7% | 858 | 20.6% | 22.9% | -54 | -1.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 661 | 15.8% | 15.6% | 658 | 15.8% | 17.0% | +3 | 0.0pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 124 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 193 | 4.6% | 5.6% | -69 | -1.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 10 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 11 | 0.3% | 0.4% | -1 | -0.1pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,924 | 69.8% | 74.1% | 2,928 | 70.3% | 70.7% | -4 | -0.5pp |
| Not Stated | 460 | 11.0% | 7.2% | 382 | 9.2% | 6.4% | +78 | +1.8pp |
| Total | 4,188 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,164 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +24 | 0.0pp |