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 Leonora (S), accounting for 45.2% (598 people). This share was lower than Regional WA (62.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which decreased by 18 people and 3.3 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

Leonora (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for Leonora (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Leonora (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.

Leonora (S)
Regional WA

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

262

% of total

19.8%

Change from 2016

-1.8pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

193

% of total

14.6%

Change from 2016

-3.3pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

56

% of total

4.2%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren

2021 count

15

% of total

1.1%

Change from 2016

+0.8pp

No Unpaid Child Care Provided

2021 count

598

% of total

45.2%

Change from 2016

-6.6pp

Not Stated

2021 count

460

% of total

34.7%

Change from 2016

+8.1pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for Leonora (S). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.

Unpaid childcare for Leonora (S). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Unpaid childcare for Leonora (S). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional WA%Count%Regional WA%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)26219.8%26.4%25521.6%27.7%+7-1.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren19314.6%18.7%21117.9%20.0%-18-3.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren564.2%6.5%393.3%6.7%+17+0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren151.1%1.2%40.3%1.0%+11+0.8pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided59845.2%62.2%61051.8%60.0%-12-6.6pp
Not Stated46034.7%11.4%31326.6%12.3%+147+8.1pp
Total1,324100.0%100.0%1,178100.0%100.0%+1460.0pp