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 The Hills Shire (A), accounting for 65.2% (98,605 people). This share was lower than Greater Sydney (68.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 21,658 people and 3 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
The Hills Shire (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for The Hills Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Sydney and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for The Hills Shire (A), with comparison markers for Greater Sydney.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
48,018
% of total
31.8%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
48,018
31.8%
-1.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
40,852
% of total
27.0%
Change from 2016
+2.1pp
40,852
27.0%
+2.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
6,724
% of total
4.4%
Change from 2016
-3.7pp
6,724
4.4%
-3.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
440
% of total
0.3%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
440
0.3%
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
98,605
% of total
65.2%
Change from 2016
+3.0pp
98,605
65.2%
+3.0pp
Not Stated
2021 count
4,585
% of total
3.0%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
4,585
3.0%
-1.1pp
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+6,409
-1.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+10,064
+2.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-3,268
-3.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-386
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+21,658
+3.0pp
Not Stated
-484
-1.1pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for The Hills Shire (A). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Sydney.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 48,018 | 31.8% | 25.2% | 41,609 | 33.7% | 27.3% | +6,409 | -1.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 40,852 | 27.0% | 21.3% | 30,788 | 24.9% | 20.3% | +10,064 | +2.1pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 6,724 | 4.4% | 3.6% | 9,992 | 8.1% | 6.4% | -3,268 | -3.7pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 440 | 0.3% | 0.3% | 826 | 0.7% | 0.6% | -386 | -0.4pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 98,605 | 65.2% | 68.9% | 76,947 | 62.2% | 65.2% | +21,658 | +3.0pp |
| Not Stated | 4,585 | 3.0% | 5.9% | 5,069 | 4.1% | 7.5% | -484 | -1.1pp |
| Total | 151,213 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 123,621 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +27,592 | 0.0pp |