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 Nickol, accounting for 45.8% (1,582 people). This share was lower than Karratha (C) (49.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which increased by 35 people, while its share fell by 1.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Nickol - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Nickol in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Karratha (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Nickol, with comparison markers for Karratha (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
1,354
% of total
39.2%
Change from 2016
-2.4pp
1,354
39.2%
-2.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
1,119
% of total
32.4%
Change from 2016
-1.6pp
1,119
32.4%
-1.6pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
184
% of total
5.3%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
184
5.3%
-0.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
52
% of total
1.5%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
52
1.5%
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,582
% of total
45.8%
Change from 2016
-4.4pp
1,582
45.8%
-4.4pp
Not Stated
2021 count
510
% of total
14.8%
Change from 2016
+6.5pp
510
14.8%
+6.5pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+27
-2.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+35
-1.6pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+10
-0.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-8
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-21
-4.4pp
Not Stated
+245
+6.5pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Nickol. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Karratha (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Karratha (C)% | Count | % | Karratha (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 1,354 | 39.2% | 31.8% | 1,327 | 41.6% | 32.8% | +27 | -2.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 1,119 | 32.4% | 25.5% | 1,084 | 34.0% | 26.8% | +35 | -1.6pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 184 | 5.3% | 4.8% | 174 | 5.5% | 4.8% | +10 | -0.2pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 52 | 1.5% | 1.4% | 60 | 1.9% | 1.2% | -8 | -0.4pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,582 | 45.8% | 49.7% | 1,603 | 50.2% | 51.7% | -21 | -4.4pp |
| Not Stated | 510 | 14.8% | 18.6% | 265 | 8.3% | 15.5% | +245 | +6.5pp |
| Total | 3,451 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 3,191 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +260 | 0.0pp |