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 Middlemount, accounting for 37.7% (576 people). This share was lower than Isaac (R) (48.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which decreased by 295 people and 18.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Middlemount - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Middlemount in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Isaac (R) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Middlemount, with comparison markers for Isaac (R).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
349
% of total
22.9%
Change from 2016
-18.4pp
349
22.9%
-18.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
310
% of total
20.3%
Change from 2016
-10.5pp
310
20.3%
-10.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
32
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-6.7pp
32
2.1%
-6.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
16
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
16
1.0%
-0.9pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
576
% of total
37.7%
Change from 2016
-15.8pp
576
37.7%
-15.8pp
Not Stated
2021 count
604
% of total
39.6%
Change from 2016
+34.3pp
604
39.6%
+34.3pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-295
-18.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-170
-10.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-106
-6.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-14
-0.9pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-259
-15.8pp
Not Stated
+522
+34.3pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Middlemount. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Isaac (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Isaac (R)% | Count | % | Isaac (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 349 | 22.9% | 26.7% | 644 | 41.3% | 33.7% | -295 | -18.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 310 | 20.3% | 21.7% | 480 | 30.8% | 27.7% | -170 | -10.5pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 32 | 2.1% | 4.1% | 138 | 8.8% | 5.0% | -106 | -6.7pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 16 | 1.0% | 1.0% | 30 | 1.9% | 1.0% | -14 | -0.9pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 576 | 37.7% | 48.8% | 835 | 53.5% | 48.9% | -259 | -15.8pp |
| Not Stated | 604 | 39.6% | 24.4% | 82 | 5.3% | 17.5% | +522 | +34.3pp |
| Total | 1,526 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,560 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -34 | 0.0pp |