Melton Township
Unpaid childcare
In Melton Township 8,260 females (34.2% of females aged 15+) provided unpaid care to children in 2021. Of these, 2,116 females were caring for children other than their own.
The role of unpaid childcare in Melton Township is determined by many different factors. For example areas with high levels of unpaid child care may have a dominance of single income families with one significant earner, or there could be a lack of provision of paid child care in the area. The level to which people care for others children can also indicate the role of extended family (eg. grandparents caring for grandchildren, family day care).
The role of unpaid child care is a complex one so this topic should be viewed in conjunction with several others, including Household Type, Employment, Household Income and Educational Attendance.
Derived from the Census question:
'In the last two weeks did the person spend time looking after a child, without pay?', which specifically asks respondents to differentiate between caring for their own children and caring for others children.
Persons aged 15 years and over.
| Unpaid childcare | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melton Township - Females aged 15+ (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Unpaid child care | Number | % | City of Melton % | Number | % | City of Melton % | 2016 to 2021 | |
 Provided unpaid child care (all) | 8,260 | 34.2 | 36.6 | 7,768 | 36.1 | 38.4 | +491 | 12001 |
| Cared for own child/ren | 6,144 | 25.4 | 29.2 | 5,361 | 24.9 | 28.7 | +783 | 12002 |
| Cared for other child/ren | 1,903 | 7.9 | 6.7 | 2,186 | 10.2 | 8.7 | -283 | 12003 |
| Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren | 213 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 221 | 1.0 | 1.1 | -8 | 12004 |
| No unpaid child care provided | 14,096 | 58.3 | 57.2 | 11,894 | 55.3 | 53.7 | +2,202 | 12005 |
| Not stated | 1,826 | 7.6 | 6.2 | 1,862 | 8.7 | 7.9 | -37 | 12006 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 24,182 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 21,525 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +2,656 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the unpaid child care provided by the female population in Melton Township in 2021 compared to City of Melton shows that there was a lower proportion of females who provided unpaid child care either to their own or to other children. Overall, 34.2% of the female population provided unpaid child care, compared with 36.6% for City of Melton.
The major differences between the share of the female population providing unpaid child care in Melton Township and City of Melton were:
- A larger percentage who provided unpaid childcare for other child/ren (7.9% compared to 6.7%)
- A larger percentage who did not provide care for children (58.3% compared to 57.2%)
- A smaller percentage who provided unpaid childcare for own child/ren (25.4% compared to 29.2%)
Emerging groups
The number of females who provided unpaid child care for their own and/or other people's children in Melton Township increased by 492 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest changes in the number of females performing unpaid child care in Melton Township, between 2016 and 2021 were those who:
- Provided no unpaid child care (+2,202 females)
- Cared for their own child/ren (+783 females)
- Cared for other child/ren (-283 females)