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.

Key insight

In 2021, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Laffer, accounting for 31.7% (13 people). This share was higher than Tatiara (DC) (25.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Own Child Ren, which decreased by 5 people and 26.5 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid childcare

Laffer - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid childcare for Laffer in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Tatiara (DC) and change since 2016.

Unpaid childcare snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Laffer, with comparison markers for Tatiara (DC).

Laffer
Tatiara (DC)

Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)

2021 count

13

% of total

31.7%

Change from 2016

-21.6pp

Cared For Own Child Ren

2021 count

11

% of total

26.8%

Change from 2016

-26.5pp

Cared For Other Child Ren

2021 count

5

% of total

12.2%

Change from 2016

+12.2pp

Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

No Unpaid Child Care Provided

2021 count

12

% of total

29.3%

Change from 2016

-14.0pp

Not Stated

2021 count

11

% of total

26.8%

Change from 2016

+16.8pp

Data table

Unpaid childcare for Laffer. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Tatiara (DC).

Unpaid childcare for Laffer. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Tatiara (DC).
Unpaid childcare for Laffer. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Tatiara (DC).
Category20212016Change
Count%Tatiara (DC)%Count%Tatiara (DC)%Countpp
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)1331.7%25.4%1653.3%26.8%-3-21.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren1126.8%18.2%1653.3%18.7%-5-26.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren512.2%6.5%00.0%7.2%+5+12.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren00.0%0.9%00.0%0.9%00.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided1229.3%65.7%1343.3%62.6%-1-14.0pp
Not Stated1126.8%8.9%310.0%10.7%+8+16.8pp
Total41100.0%100.0%30100.0%100.0%+110.0pp