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 Lewisham (NSW), accounting for 71.8% (2,521 people). This share was lower than Inner West (A) (72.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 1,821 people and 8.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Lewisham (NSW) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Lewisham (NSW) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Inner West (A) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Lewisham (NSW), with comparison markers for Inner West (A).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
703
% of total
20.0%
Change from 2016
-13.8pp
703
20.0%
-13.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
621
% of total
17.7%
Change from 2016
-5.9pp
621
17.7%
-5.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
68
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
-7.5pp
68
1.9%
-7.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
14
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
14
0.4%
-0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,521
% of total
71.8%
Change from 2016
+8.9pp
2,521
71.8%
+8.9pp
Not Stated
2021 count
285
% of total
8.1%
Change from 2016
+5.0pp
285
8.1%
+5.0pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+327
-13.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+359
-5.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-37
-7.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+4
-0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+1,821
+8.9pp
Not Stated
+250
+5.0pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Lewisham (NSW). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Inner West (A).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Inner West (A)% | Count | % | Inner West (A)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 703 | 20.0% | 22.0% | 376 | 33.8% | 23.9% | +327 | -13.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 621 | 17.7% | 19.3% | 262 | 23.6% | 18.4% | +359 | -5.9pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 68 | 1.9% | 2.5% | 105 | 9.4% | 4.9% | -37 | -7.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 14 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 10 | 0.9% | 0.6% | +4 | -0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,521 | 71.8% | 72.9% | 700 | 62.9% | 67.6% | +1,821 | +8.9pp |
| Not Stated | 285 | 8.1% | 5.0% | 35 | 3.1% | 8.5% | +250 | +5.0pp |
| Total | 3,513 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,112 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +2,401 | 0.0pp |