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 Wagin (S), accounting for 66.9% (990 people). This share was higher than Regional WA (62.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Child Care (All), which decreased by 36 people and 1.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Wagin (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Wagin (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Wagin (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
318
% of total
21.5%
Change from 2016
-1.8pp
318
21.5%
-1.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
221
% of total
14.9%
Change from 2016
-1.5pp
221
14.9%
-1.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
91
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
91
6.2%
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
3
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
3
0.2%
-0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
990
% of total
66.9%
Change from 2016
+2.2pp
990
66.9%
+2.2pp
Not Stated
2021 count
169
% of total
11.4%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
169
11.4%
-0.9pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-36
-1.8pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-28
-1.5pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-5
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-4
-0.3pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+9
+2.2pp
Not Stated
-17
-0.9pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Wagin (S). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 318 | 21.5% | 26.4% | 354 | 23.3% | 27.7% | -36 | -1.8pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 221 | 14.9% | 18.7% | 249 | 16.4% | 20.0% | -28 | -1.5pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 91 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 96 | 6.3% | 6.7% | -5 | -0.1pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 3 | 0.2% | 1.2% | 7 | 0.5% | 1.0% | -4 | -0.3pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 990 | 66.9% | 62.2% | 981 | 64.7% | 60.0% | +9 | +2.2pp |
| Not Stated | 169 | 11.4% | 11.4% | 186 | 12.3% | 12.3% | -17 | -0.9pp |
| Total | 1,479 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 1,517 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -38 | 0.0pp |