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 Unincorporated SA, accounting for 62.3% (1,608 people). This share was lower than Regional SA (67.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which decreased by 203 people, while its share rose by 2.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Unincorporated SA - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Unincorporated SA in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional SA and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Unincorporated SA, with comparison markers for Regional SA.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
530
% of total
20.5%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
530
20.5%
0.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
357
% of total
13.8%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
357
13.8%
-1.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
136
% of total
5.3%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
136
5.3%
+0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
37
% of total
1.4%
Change from 2016
+1.0pp
37
1.4%
+1.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,608
% of total
62.3%
Change from 2016
+2.6pp
1,608
62.3%
+2.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
447
% of total
17.3%
Change from 2016
-2.6pp
447
17.3%
-2.6pp
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-91
0.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-120
-1.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
0
+0.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+26
+1.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-203
+2.6pp
Not Stated
-156
-2.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Unincorporated SA. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 530 | 20.5% | 24.3% | 621 | 20.5% | 26.2% | -91 | 0.0pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 357 | 13.8% | 16.2% | 477 | 15.7% | 17.4% | -120 | -1.9pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 136 | 5.3% | 7.2% | 136 | 4.5% | 7.9% | 0 | +0.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 37 | 1.4% | 0.8% | 11 | 0.4% | 0.9% | +26 | +1.0pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,608 | 62.3% | 67.9% | 1,811 | 59.7% | 64.3% | -203 | +2.6pp |
| Not Stated | 447 | 17.3% | 7.8% | 603 | 19.9% | 9.5% | -156 | -2.6pp |
| Total | 2,580 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 3,032 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -452 | 0.0pp |