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 South Murchison, accounting for 51.1% (23 people). This share was lower than Murchison (S) (65.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which decreased by 1,619 people and 12.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
South Murchison - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for South Murchison in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Murchison (S) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for South Murchison, with comparison markers for Murchison (S).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
13
% of total
28.9%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
13
28.9%
+0.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
11
% of total
24.4%
Change from 2016
+6.3pp
11
24.4%
+6.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
4
% of total
8.9%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
4
8.9%
-0.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
5
% of total
11.1%
Change from 2016
+10.1pp
5
11.1%
+10.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
23
% of total
51.1%
Change from 2016
-12.7pp
23
51.1%
-12.7pp
Not Stated
2021 count
8
% of total
17.8%
Change from 2016
+10.2pp
8
17.8%
+10.2pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-722
+0.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-456
+6.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-234
-0.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-20
+10.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-1,619
-12.7pp
Not Stated
-188
+10.2pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for South Murchison. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Murchison (S).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Murchison (S)% | Count | % | Murchison (S)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 13 | 28.9% | 30.6% | 735 | 28.6% | 28.2% | -722 | +0.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 11 | 24.4% | 23.6% | 467 | 18.1% | 9.9% | -456 | +6.3pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 4 | 8.9% | 5.6% | 238 | 9.2% | 11.5% | -234 | -0.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 5 | 11.1% | 6.9% | 25 | 1.0% | 7.6% | -20 | +10.1pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 23 | 51.1% | 65.3% | 1,642 | 63.8% | 39.7% | -1,619 | -12.7pp |
| Not Stated | 8 | 17.8% | 8.3% | 196 | 7.6% | 33.6% | -188 | +10.2pp |
| Total | 45 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,574 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -2,529 | 0.0pp |