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 Brigalow, accounting for 57.9% (81 people). This share was lower than Western Downs (R) (63.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which decreased by 4,292 people and 6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Brigalow - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Brigalow in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Western Downs (R) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Brigalow, with comparison markers for Western Downs (R).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
43
% of total
30.7%
Change from 2016
-1.3pp
43
30.7%
-1.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
28
% of total
20.0%
Change from 2016
-2.3pp
28
20.0%
-2.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
11
% of total
7.9%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
11
7.9%
-0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
0
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
-1.0pp
0
0.0%
-1.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
81
% of total
57.9%
Change from 2016
-6.0pp
81
57.9%
-6.0pp
Not Stated
2021 count
18
% of total
12.9%
Change from 2016
+8.8pp
18
12.9%
+8.8pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
-2,147
-1.3pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-1,496
-2.3pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
-590
-0.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
-67
-1.0pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
-4,292
-6.0pp
Not Stated
-263
+8.8pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Brigalow. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Western Downs (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Western Downs (R)% | Count | % | Western Downs (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 43 | 30.7% | 25.9% | 2,190 | 32.0% | 27.9% | -2,147 | -1.3pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 28 | 20.0% | 19.3% | 1,524 | 22.3% | 20.9% | -1,496 | -2.3pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 11 | 7.9% | 5.6% | 601 | 8.8% | 6.3% | -590 | -0.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 0 | 0.0% | 1.0% | 67 | 1.0% | 0.8% | -67 | -1.0pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 81 | 57.9% | 63.1% | 4,373 | 63.9% | 58.9% | -4,292 | -6.0pp |
| Not Stated | 18 | 12.9% | 11.1% | 281 | 4.1% | 13.2% | -263 | +8.8pp |
| Total | 140 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 6,846 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -6,706 | 0.0pp |