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 Waterloo Corner (part), accounting for 72.9% (725 people). This share was higher than Playford (C) (64.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which decreased by 48 people and 3.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Waterloo Corner (part) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Waterloo Corner (part) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Playford (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Waterloo Corner (part), with comparison markers for Playford (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
165
% of total
16.6%
Change from 2016
-3.2pp
165
16.6%
-3.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
109
% of total
11.0%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
109
11.0%
-0.6pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
50
% of total
5.0%
Change from 2016
-2.5pp
50
5.0%
-2.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
3
% of total
0.3%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
3
0.3%
-0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
725
% of total
72.9%
Change from 2016
+7.6pp
725
72.9%
+7.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
106
% of total
10.7%
Change from 2016
-4.0pp
106
10.7%
-4.0pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-48
-3.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-16
-0.6pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-31
-2.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-1
-0.1pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+23
+7.6pp
Not Stated
-52
-4.0pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Waterloo Corner (part). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Playford (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Playford (C)% | Count | % | Playford (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 165 | 16.6% | 28.9% | 213 | 19.8% | 30.1% | -48 | -3.2pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 109 | 11.0% | 21.2% | 125 | 11.6% | 21.6% | -16 | -0.6pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 50 | 5.0% | 6.7% | 81 | 7.5% | 7.5% | -31 | -2.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 3 | 0.3% | 1.1% | 4 | 0.4% | 1.0% | -1 | -0.1pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 725 | 72.9% | 64.6% | 702 | 65.3% | 61.4% | +23 | +7.6pp |
| Not Stated | 106 | 10.7% | 6.5% | 158 | 14.7% | 8.5% | -52 | -4.0pp |
| Total | 994 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,075 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -81 | 0.0pp |