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, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Roper Gulf (R), accounting for 46.7% (2,329 people). This share was higher than Regional NT (36.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Other Child Ren, which increased by 528 people and 9.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Roper Gulf (R) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Roper Gulf (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Roper Gulf (R), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
2,329
% of total
46.7%
Change from 2016
+7.5pp
2,329
46.7%
+7.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
847
% of total
17.0%
Change from 2016
-4.5pp
847
17.0%
-4.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
1,156
% of total
23.2%
Change from 2016
+9.6pp
1,156
23.2%
+9.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
327
% of total
6.6%
Change from 2016
+2.5pp
327
6.6%
+2.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
2,008
% of total
40.2%
Change from 2016
-8.0pp
2,008
40.2%
-8.0pp
Not Stated
2021 count
652
% of total
13.1%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
652
13.1%
+0.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+514
+7.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-147
-4.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+528
+9.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+138
+2.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-224
-8.0pp
Not Stated
+76
+0.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Roper Gulf (R). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 2,329 | 46.7% | 36.2% | 1,815 | 39.2% | 34.4% | +514 | +7.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 847 | 17.0% | 18.4% | 994 | 21.5% | 19.2% | -147 | -4.5pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 1,156 | 23.2% | 13.8% | 628 | 13.6% | 11.7% | +528 | +9.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 327 | 6.6% | 3.9% | 189 | 4.1% | 3.5% | +138 | +2.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 2,008 | 40.2% | 51.6% | 2,232 | 48.2% | 49.0% | -224 | -8.0pp |
| Not Stated | 652 | 13.1% | 12.3% | 576 | 12.5% | 16.6% | +76 | +0.6pp |
| Total | 4,991 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,626 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +365 | 0.0pp |