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 Malvern (SA), accounting for 67.9% (1,542 people). This share was lower than Unley (C) (70.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 114 people and 1.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Malvern (SA) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Malvern (SA) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Unley (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Malvern (SA), with comparison markers for Unley (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
700
% of total
30.8%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
700
30.8%
+1.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
484
% of total
21.3%
Change from 2016
+1.3pp
484
21.3%
+1.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
201
% of total
8.9%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
201
8.9%
+0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
12
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
12
0.5%
-0.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,542
% of total
67.9%
Change from 2016
+1.6pp
1,542
67.9%
+1.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
32
% of total
1.4%
Change from 2016
-3.0pp
32
1.4%
-3.0pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+74
+1.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+53
+1.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+19
+0.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-3
-0.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+114
+1.6pp
Not Stated
-62
-3.0pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Malvern (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) | 700 | 30.8% | 26.9% | 626 | 29.1% | 26.8% | +74 | +1.7pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 484 | 21.3% | 18.9% | 431 | 20.0% | 18.5% | +53 | +1.3pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 201 | 8.9% | 7.2% | 182 | 8.5% | 7.5% | +19 | +0.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 12 | 0.5% | 0.8% | 15 | 0.7% | 0.8% | -3 | -0.2pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,542 | 67.9% | 70.4% | 1,428 | 66.3% | 67.4% | +114 | +1.6pp |
| Not Stated | 32 | 1.4% | 2.8% | 94 | 4.4% | 5.8% | -62 | -3.0pp |
| Total | 2,270 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,153 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +117 | 0.0pp |