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 Whyalla Jenkins, accounting for 62% (939 people). This share was lower than Whyalla (C) (67.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid child care, which increased by 928 people, while its share fell by 48 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
Whyalla Jenkins - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for Whyalla Jenkins in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Whyalla (C) and change since 2016.
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Whyalla Jenkins, with comparison markers for Whyalla (C).
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
523
% of total
34.5%
Change from 2016
+34.5pp
523
34.5%
+34.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
400
% of total
26.4%
Change from 2016
+26.4pp
400
26.4%
+26.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
100
% of total
6.6%
Change from 2016
+6.6pp
100
6.6%
+6.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
26
% of total
1.7%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
26
1.7%
+1.7pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
939
% of total
62.0%
Change from 2016
-48.0pp
939
62.0%
-48.0pp
Not Stated
2021 count
53
% of total
3.5%
Change from 2016
+3.5pp
53
3.5%
+3.5pp
Chart view
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+523
+34.5pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
+400
+26.4pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+100
+6.6pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+26
+1.7pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+928
-48.0pp
Not Stated
+53
+3.5pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for Whyalla Jenkins. Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whyalla (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Whyalla (C)% | Count | % | Whyalla (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 523 | 34.5% | 25.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 28.0% | +523 | +34.5pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 400 | 26.4% | 17.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 19.1% | +400 | +26.4pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 100 | 6.6% | 6.8% | 0 | 0.0% | 8.0% | +100 | +6.6pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 26 | 1.7% | 1.1% | 0 | 0.0% | 1.0% | +26 | +1.7pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 939 | 62.0% | 67.8% | 11 | 110.0% | 63.0% | +928 | -48.0pp |
| Not Stated | 53 | 3.5% | 7.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 9.0% | +53 | +3.5pp |
| Total | 1,515 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 10 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,505 | 0.0pp |