idc-logo
svg rectangle color
Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC)Community profile

SSROC region

Unpaid childcare

In SSROC region 141,870 males (19.5% of males aged 15+) provided unpaid care to children in 2021. Of these, 16,433 males were caring for children other than their own.

The role of unpaid childcare in SSROC region 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.

Q:

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.

Unpaid childcare
SSROC region - Males aged 15+ (Usual residence)20212016Change
Unpaid child careNumber%Greater Sydney %Number%Greater Sydney %2016 to 2021
Provided unpaid child care (all)141,87019.522.5141,46120.423.5+409
Cared for own child/ren125,43717.219.8113,23116.318.7+12,206
Cared for other child/ren15,4192.12.526,2473.84.4-10,828
Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren1,0140.10.21,9830.30.4-969
No unpaid child care provided538,81173.971.4489,99770.768.8+48,814
Not stated48,4946.76.162,0959.07.8-13,601
Total persons aged 15+729,175100.0100.0693,553100.0100.0+35,622
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the unpaid child care provided by the male population in SSROC region in 2021 compared to Greater Sydney shows that there was a lower proportion of males who provided unpaid child care either to their own or to other children. Overall, 19.5% of the male population provided unpaid child care, compared with 22.5% for Greater Sydney.

The major differences between the share of the male population providing unpaid child care in SSROC region and Greater Sydney were:

  • A larger percentage who did not provide care for children (73.9% compared to 71.4%)
  • A smaller percentage who provided unpaid childcare for own child/ren (17.2% compared to 19.8%)

Emerging groups

The number of males who provided unpaid child care for their own and/or other people's children in SSROC region increased by 409 between 2016 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of males performing unpaid child care in SSROC region, between 2016 and 2021 were those who:

  • No unpaid child care provided (+48,814 males)
  • Cared for own child/ren (+12,206 males)
  • Cared for other child/ren (-10,828 males)
  • Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren (-969 males)

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.

Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices.

ABS Data and the copyright in the ABS Data remains the property of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the ABS Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. ABS Data can be accessed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics at www.abs.gov.au. ABS data can be used under license - terms published on ABS website. intermediary.management@abs.gov.au if you have any queries or wish to distribute any ABS data.