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 Upper Hunter Shire (A), accounting for 66.9% (7,757 people). This share was similar to Regional NSW (67.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 942 people and 6.1 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Upper Hunter Shire (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Upper Hunter Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Upper Hunter Shire (A), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
2,962
% of total
25.6%
Change from 2016
-2.5pp
2,962
25.6%
-2.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
2,189
% of total
18.9%
Change from 2016
-1.4pp
2,189
18.9%
-1.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
704
% of total
6.1%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
704
6.1%
-0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
59
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
59
0.5%
-0.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
7,757
% of total
66.9%
Change from 2016
+6.1pp
7,757
66.9%
+6.1pp
Not Stated
2021 count
865
% of total
7.5%
Change from 2016
-3.6pp
865
7.5%
-3.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-185
-2.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-85
-1.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-86
-0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-19
-0.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+942
+6.1pp
Not Stated
-379
-3.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Upper Hunter Shire (A). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 2,962 | 25.6% | 25.6% | 3,147 | 28.1% | 27.1% | -185 | -2.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 2,189 | 18.9% | 18.2% | 2,274 | 20.3% | 18.3% | -85 | -1.4pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 704 | 6.1% | 6.6% | 790 | 7.0% | 7.9% | -86 | -0.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 59 | 0.5% | 0.8% | 78 | 0.7% | 0.8% | -19 | -0.2pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 7,757 | 66.9% | 67.1% | 6,815 | 60.8% | 63.3% | +942 | +6.1pp |
| Not Stated | 865 | 7.5% | 7.4% | 1,244 | 11.1% | 9.6% | -379 | -3.6pp |
| Total | 11,587 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 11,207 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +380 | 0.0pp |