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 King Island (M), accounting for 66.8% (896 people). This share was lower than Regional Tas. (69.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which increased by 20 people and 1.4 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

King Island (M) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for King Island (M) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Tas. and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for King Island (M), with comparison markers for Regional Tas..

King Island (M)
Regional Tas.

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

305

% of total

22.7%

Change from 2016

+1.1pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

215

% of total

16.0%

Change from 2016

+1.4pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

85

% of total

6.3%

Change from 2016

-0.4pp

Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren

2021 count

14

% of total

1.0%

Change from 2016

+0.6pp

No Unpaid Child Care Provided

2021 count

896

% of total

66.8%

Change from 2016

-0.8pp

Not Stated

2021 count

139

% of total

10.4%

Change from 2016

-0.2pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for King Island (M). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..

Unpaid childcare for King Island (M). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..
Unpaid childcare for King Island (M). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Tas.%Count%Regional Tas.%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)30522.7%24.5%28821.6%25.5%+17+1.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren21516.0%16.8%19514.6%17.6%+20+1.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren856.3%6.8%906.7%7.1%-5-0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren141.0%0.9%60.4%0.8%+8+0.6pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided89666.8%69.2%90367.6%65.7%-7-0.8pp
Not Stated13910.4%6.3%14110.6%8.8%-2-0.2pp
Total1,341100.0%100.0%1,336100.0%100.0%+50.0pp