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 Wickham (WA), accounting for 44.5% (643 people). This share was lower than Karratha (C) (49.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which decreased by 150 people and 2.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Wickham (WA) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Wickham (WA) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Karratha (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Wickham (WA), with comparison markers for Karratha (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
512
% of total
35.4%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
512
35.4%
-0.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
393
% of total
27.2%
Change from 2016
-3.7pp
393
27.2%
-3.7pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
93
% of total
6.4%
Change from 2016
+2.9pp
93
6.4%
+2.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
27
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
27
1.9%
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
643
% of total
44.5%
Change from 2016
-2.9pp
643
44.5%
-2.9pp
Not Stated
2021 count
291
% of total
20.1%
Change from 2016
+3.6pp
291
20.1%
+3.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-90
-0.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-125
-3.7pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+35
+2.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+3
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-150
-2.9pp
Not Stated
+14
+3.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Wickham (WA). 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) | 512 | 35.4% | 31.8% | 602 | 36.0% | 32.8% | -90 | -0.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 393 | 27.2% | 25.5% | 518 | 30.9% | 26.8% | -125 | -3.7pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 93 | 6.4% | 4.8% | 58 | 3.5% | 4.8% | +35 | +2.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 27 | 1.9% | 1.4% | 24 | 1.4% | 1.2% | +3 | +0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 643 | 44.5% | 49.7% | 793 | 47.4% | 51.7% | -150 | -2.9pp |
| Not Stated | 291 | 20.1% | 18.6% | 277 | 16.5% | 15.5% | +14 | +3.6pp |
| Total | 1,446 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,674 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -228 | 0.0pp |