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 No usual address (NSW), accounting for 54.9% (5,556 people). This share was lower than New South Wales (68.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which decreased by 1,255 people and 4.1 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
No usual address (NSW) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for No usual address (NSW) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against New South Wales and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for No usual address (NSW), with comparison markers for New South Wales.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
1,191
% of total
11.8%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
1,191
11.8%
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
818
% of total
8.1%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
818
8.1%
+0.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
332
% of total
3.3%
Change from 2016
-0.8pp
332
3.3%
-0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
37
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
37
0.4%
0.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
5,556
% of total
54.9%
Change from 2016
-4.1pp
5,556
54.9%
-4.1pp
Not Stated
2021 count
3,362
% of total
33.2%
Change from 2016
+4.1pp
3,362
33.2%
+4.1pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-182
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-29
+0.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-143
-0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-8
0.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-1,255
-4.1pp
Not Stated
+1
+4.1pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for No usual address (NSW). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with New South Wales.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | New South Wales% | Count | % | New South Wales% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 1,191 | 11.8% | 25.3% | 1,373 | 11.9% | 27.3% | -182 | -0.1pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 818 | 8.1% | 20.2% | 847 | 7.3% | 19.7% | -29 | +0.8pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 332 | 3.3% | 4.7% | 475 | 4.1% | 7.0% | -143 | -0.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 37 | 0.4% | 0.5% | 45 | 0.4% | 0.7% | -8 | 0.0pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 5,556 | 54.9% | 68.3% | 6,811 | 59.0% | 64.5% | -1,255 | -4.1pp |
| Not Stated | 3,362 | 33.2% | 6.4% | 3,361 | 29.1% | 8.2% | +1 | +4.1pp |
| Total | 10,112 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 11,545 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -1,433 | 0.0pp |