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 Murray Bridge East, accounting for 69.2% (711 people). This share was higher than Murray Bridge (RC) (67.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 56 people, while its share fell by 0.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Murray Bridge East - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Murray Bridge East in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Murray Bridge (RC) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Murray Bridge East, with comparison markers for Murray Bridge (RC).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
263
% of total
25.6%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
263
25.6%
+1.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
173
% of total
16.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
173
16.8%
0.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
86
% of total
8.4%
Change from 2016
+2.3pp
86
8.4%
+2.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
6
% of total
0.6%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
6
0.6%
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
711
% of total
69.2%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
711
69.2%
-0.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
52
% of total
5.1%
Change from 2016
-1.5pp
52
5.1%
-1.5pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+38
+1.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+15
0.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+29
+2.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-3
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+56
-0.5pp
Not Stated
-10
-1.5pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Murray Bridge East. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Murray Bridge (RC).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Murray Bridge (RC)% | Count | % | Murray Bridge (RC)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 263 | 25.6% | 23.8% | 225 | 23.9% | 25.0% | +38 | +1.7pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 173 | 16.8% | 16.1% | 158 | 16.8% | 16.5% | +15 | 0.0pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 86 | 8.4% | 6.9% | 57 | 6.1% | 7.6% | +29 | +2.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 6 | 0.6% | 0.7% | 9 | 1.0% | 0.9% | -3 | -0.4pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 711 | 69.2% | 67.1% | 655 | 69.7% | 64.9% | +56 | -0.5pp |
| Not Stated | 52 | 5.1% | 9.2% | 62 | 6.6% | 10.1% | -10 | -1.5pp |
| Total | 1,028 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 940 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +88 | 0.0pp |