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 Hopetoun Park, accounting for 60.4% (411 people). This share was lower than Moorabool (S) (64.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 360 people, while its share fell by 16.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Hopetoun Park - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Hopetoun Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Moorabool (S) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Hopetoun Park, with comparison markers for Moorabool (S).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
256
% of total
37.6%
Change from 2016
+11.8pp
256
37.6%
+11.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
204
% of total
30.0%
Change from 2016
+8.8pp
204
30.0%
+8.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
44
% of total
6.5%
Change from 2016
+2.0pp
44
6.5%
+2.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
10
% of total
1.5%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
10
1.5%
+1.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
411
% of total
60.4%
Change from 2016
-16.9pp
411
60.4%
-16.9pp
Not Stated
2021 count
17
% of total
2.5%
Change from 2016
-2.0pp
17
2.5%
-2.0pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+239
+11.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+190
+8.8pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+41
+2.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+10
+1.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+360
-16.9pp
Not Stated
+14
-2.0pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Hopetoun Park. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Moorabool (S).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Moorabool (S)% | Count | % | Moorabool (S)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 256 | 37.6% | 29.7% | 17 | 25.8% | 30.3% | +239 | +11.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 204 | 30.0% | 22.3% | 14 | 21.2% | 21.6% | +190 | +8.8pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 44 | 6.5% | 6.7% | 3 | 4.5% | 7.9% | +41 | +2.0pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 10 | 1.5% | 0.7% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.9% | +10 | +1.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 411 | 60.4% | 64.7% | 51 | 77.3% | 61.7% | +360 | -16.9pp |
| Not Stated | 17 | 2.5% | 5.7% | 3 | 4.5% | 8.0% | +14 | -2.0pp |
| Total | 681 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 66 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +615 | 0.0pp |