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 Mill Park, accounting for 71.9% (17,439 people). This share was higher than Whittlesea (C) (65.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 17,414 people and 32.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Mill Park - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Mill Park in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Whittlesea (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Mill Park, with comparison markers for Whittlesea (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
5,831
% of total
24.0%
Change from 2016
-24.4pp
5,831
24.0%
-24.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
4,249
% of total
17.5%
Change from 2016
-12.2pp
4,249
17.5%
-12.2pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
1,495
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
1,495
6.2%
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
81
% of total
0.3%
Change from 2016
-4.4pp
81
0.3%
-4.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
17,439
% of total
71.9%
Change from 2016
+32.8pp
17,439
71.9%
+32.8pp
Not Stated
2021 count
1,006
% of total
4.1%
Change from 2016
-3.7pp
1,006
4.1%
-3.7pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+5,800
-24.4pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+4,230
-12.2pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+1,491
-0.1pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+78
-4.4pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+17,414
+32.8pp
Not Stated
+1,001
-3.7pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Mill Park. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 5,831 | 24.0% | 29.5% | 31 | 48.4% | 31.0% | +5,800 | -24.4pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 4,249 | 17.5% | 23.9% | 19 | 29.7% | 23.8% | +4,230 | -12.2pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 1,495 | 6.2% | 5.1% | 4 | 6.3% | 6.6% | +1,491 | -0.1pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 81 | 0.3% | 0.4% | 3 | 4.7% | 0.6% | +78 | -4.4pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 17,439 | 71.9% | 65.3% | 25 | 39.1% | 62.5% | +17,414 | +32.8pp |
| Not Stated | 1,006 | 4.1% | 5.2% | 5 | 7.8% | 6.6% | +1,001 | -3.7pp |
| Total | 24,271 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 64 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +24,207 | 0.0pp |