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, not providing unpaid child care was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Flinders Ranges (DC), accounting for 69.6% (979 people). This share was higher than Regional SA (67.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which decreased by 32 people and 2.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

Flinders Ranges (DC) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for Flinders Ranges (DC) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional SA and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Flinders Ranges (DC), with comparison markers for Regional SA.

Flinders Ranges (DC)
Regional SA

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

274

% of total

19.5%

Change from 2016

-1.4pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

175

% of total

12.4%

Change from 2016

-2.4pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

98

% of total

7.0%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren

2021 count

9

% of total

0.6%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

No Unpaid Child Care Provided

2021 count

979

% of total

69.6%

Change from 2016

+1.3pp

Not Stated

2021 count

152

% of total

10.8%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for Flinders Ranges (DC). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.

Unpaid childcare for Flinders Ranges (DC). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.
Unpaid childcare for Flinders Ranges (DC). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional SA%Count%Regional SA%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)27419.5%24.3%29220.9%26.2%-18-1.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren17512.4%16.2%20714.8%17.4%-32-2.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren987.0%7.2%856.1%7.9%+13+0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren90.6%0.8%40.3%0.9%+5+0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided97969.6%67.9%95468.3%64.3%+25+1.3pp
Not Stated15210.8%7.8%14610.5%9.5%+6+0.3pp
Total1,407100.0%100.0%1,396100.0%100.0%+110.0pp