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 Lower Mitcham, accounting for 64.4% (1,148 people). This share was lower than Mitcham (C) (66.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 31 people and 0.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Lower Mitcham - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Lower Mitcham in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Mitcham (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Lower Mitcham, with comparison markers for Mitcham (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
595
% of total
33.4%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
595
33.4%
+0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
399
% of total
22.4%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
399
22.4%
-0.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
177
% of total
9.9%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
177
9.9%
+0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
18
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
18
1.0%
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,148
% of total
64.4%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
1,148
64.4%
+0.8pp
Not Stated
2021 count
34
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
34
1.9%
-1.9pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+15
+0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-3
-0.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+17
+0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+9
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+31
+0.8pp
Not Stated
-32
-1.9pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Lower Mitcham. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Mitcham (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Mitcham (C)% | Count | % | Mitcham (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 595 | 33.4% | 30.5% | 580 | 33.0% | 30.4% | +15 | +0.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 399 | 22.4% | 21.3% | 402 | 22.9% | 20.5% | -3 | -0.5pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 177 | 9.9% | 8.2% | 160 | 9.1% | 8.9% | +17 | +0.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 18 | 1.0% | 0.9% | 9 | 0.5% | 1.0% | +9 | +0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,148 | 64.4% | 66.7% | 1,117 | 63.6% | 64.4% | +31 | +0.8pp |
| Not Stated | 34 | 1.9% | 2.8% | 66 | 3.8% | 5.2% | -32 | -1.9pp |
| Total | 1,782 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,757 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +25 | 0.0pp |