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, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in West Daly (R), accounting for 51.3% (1,099 people). This share was higher than Regional NT (36.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 267 people and 12.3 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
West Daly (R) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for West Daly (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for West Daly (R), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
1,099
% of total
51.3%
Change from 2016
-7.3pp
1,099
51.3%
-7.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
546
% of total
25.5%
Change from 2016
-8.0pp
546
25.5%
-8.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
511
% of total
23.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
511
23.8%
0.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
41
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
41
1.9%
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
876
% of total
40.9%
Change from 2016
+12.3pp
876
40.9%
+12.3pp
Not Stated
2021 count
170
% of total
7.9%
Change from 2016
-4.6pp
170
7.9%
-4.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-149
-7.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-167
-8.0pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+4
0.0pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+12
+0.5pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+267
+12.3pp
Not Stated
-97
-4.6pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for West Daly (R). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 1,099 | 51.3% | 36.2% | 1,248 | 58.6% | 34.4% | -149 | -7.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 546 | 25.5% | 18.4% | 713 | 33.5% | 19.2% | -167 | -8.0pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 511 | 23.8% | 13.8% | 507 | 23.8% | 11.7% | +4 | 0.0pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 41 | 1.9% | 3.9% | 29 | 1.4% | 3.5% | +12 | +0.5pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 876 | 40.9% | 51.6% | 609 | 28.6% | 49.0% | +267 | +12.3pp |
| Not Stated | 170 | 7.9% | 12.3% | 267 | 12.5% | 16.6% | -97 | -4.6pp |
| Total | 2,144 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,128 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +16 | 0.0pp |