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 Highgate (SA), accounting for 68.3% (845 people). This share was lower than Unley (C) (70.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which decreased by 43 people and 1.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Highgate (SA) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Highgate (SA) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Unley (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Highgate (SA), with comparison markers for Unley (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
370
% of total
29.9%
Change from 2016
-1.2pp
370
29.9%
-1.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
268
% of total
21.7%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
268
21.7%
+0.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
93
% of total
7.5%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
93
7.5%
-1.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
9
% of total
0.7%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
9
0.7%
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
845
% of total
68.3%
Change from 2016
+4.5pp
845
68.3%
+4.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
26
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-2.6pp
26
2.1%
-2.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-43
-1.2pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-19
+0.1pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-21
-1.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-6
-0.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-2
+4.5pp
Not Stated
-37
-2.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Highgate (SA). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Unley (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Unley (C)% | Count | % | Unley (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 370 | 29.9% | 26.9% | 413 | 31.1% | 26.8% | -43 | -1.2pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 268 | 21.7% | 18.9% | 287 | 21.6% | 18.5% | -19 | +0.1pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 93 | 7.5% | 7.2% | 114 | 8.6% | 7.5% | -21 | -1.1pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 9 | 0.7% | 0.8% | 15 | 1.1% | 0.8% | -6 | -0.4pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 845 | 68.3% | 70.4% | 847 | 63.8% | 67.4% | -2 | +4.5pp |
| Not Stated | 26 | 2.1% | 2.8% | 63 | 4.7% | 5.8% | -37 | -2.6pp |
| Total | 1,237 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,327 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -90 | 0.0pp |