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 Melville (C), accounting for 65.8% (56,298 people). This share was higher than Greater Perth (65%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 3,114 people and 0.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Melville (C) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Melville (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Perth and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Melville (C), with comparison markers for Greater Perth.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
25,666
% of total
30.0%
Change from 2016
+1.8pp
25,666
30.0%
+1.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
17,526
% of total
20.5%
Change from 2016
+1.1pp
17,526
20.5%
+1.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
7,459
% of total
8.7%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
7,459
8.7%
+0.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
679
% of total
0.8%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
679
0.8%
+0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
56,298
% of total
65.8%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
56,298
65.8%
+0.4pp
Not Stated
2021 count
3,647
% of total
4.3%
Change from 2016
-2.1pp
3,647
4.3%
-2.1pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+2,729
+1.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+1,764
+1.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+868
+0.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+92
+0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+3,114
+0.4pp
Not Stated
-1,517
-2.1pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Melville (C). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Perth.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 25,666 | 30.0% | 29.1% | 22,937 | 28.2% | 28.7% | +2,729 | +1.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 17,526 | 20.5% | 21.0% | 15,762 | 19.4% | 20.9% | +1,764 | +1.1pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 7,459 | 8.7% | 7.3% | 6,591 | 8.1% | 7.1% | +868 | +0.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 679 | 0.8% | 0.9% | 587 | 0.7% | 0.8% | +92 | +0.1pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 56,298 | 65.8% | 65.0% | 53,184 | 65.4% | 63.2% | +3,114 | +0.4pp |
| Not Stated | 3,647 | 4.3% | 5.8% | 5,164 | 6.4% | 8.0% | -1,517 | -2.1pp |
| Total | 85,614 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 81,281 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +4,333 | 0.0pp |