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Regional NSW

Unpaid childcare

In Regional NSW 243,289 males (23.1% of males aged 15+) provided unpaid care to children in 2016. Of these, 64,358 males were caring for children other than their own.

The role of unpaid childcare in Regional NSW 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
Regional NSW - Males aged 15+ (Usual residence)20162011Change
Unpaid child careNumber%Regional Australia %Number%Regional Australia %2011 to 2016
Provided unpaid child care (all)243,28923.123.1234,42623.723.7+8,863
Cared for own child/ren178,93117.017.4173,38017.517.8+5,551
Cared for other child/ren58,9345.65.254,9165.65.2+4,018
Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren5,4240.50.56,1300.60.6-706
No unpaid child care provided703,56466.866.3670,86467.967.1+32,700
Not stated105,78410.010.583,4498.49.2+22,335

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Unpaid childcare, 2016
Unpaid childcare, 2016 Not stated, Regional Australia: 10.5% No unpaid child care provided, Regional Australia: 66.3% Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Regional Australia: 0.5% Cared for other child/ren, Regional Australia: 5.2% Cared for own child/ren, Regional Australia: 17.4% Provided unpaid child care (all), Regional Australia: 23.1% Not stated, Regional NSW: 10.0% No unpaid child care provided, Regional NSW: 66.8% Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Regional NSW: 0.5% Cared for other child/ren, Regional NSW: 5.6% Cared for own child/ren, Regional NSW: 17.0% Provided unpaid child care (all), Regional NSW: 23.1%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Change in unpaid childcare, 2011 to 2016
Change in unpaid childcare, 2011 to 2016 Not stated, Regional NSW: +22,335 No unpaid child care provided, Regional NSW: +32,700 Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Regional NSW: -706 Cared for other child/ren, Regional NSW: +4,018 Cared for own child/ren, Regional NSW: +5,551 Provided unpaid child care (all), Regional NSW: +8,863
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 and 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

Dominant groups

Analysis of the unpaid child care provided by the male population in Regional NSW in 2016 compared to Regional Australia shows that there was a similar proportion of males who provided unpaid child care either to their own or to other children. Overall, 23.1% of the male population provided unpaid child care, compared with 23.1% for Regional Australia.

There were no major differences between Regional NSW and Regional Australia in 2016.

Emerging groups

The number of males who provided unpaid child care for their own and/or other people's children in Regional NSW increased by 8,863 between 2011 and 2016.

The largest changes in the number of males performing unpaid child care in Regional NSW, between 2011 and 2016 were those who:

  • Provided no unpaid child care (+32,700 males)
  • Cared for their own child/ren (+5,551 males)
  • Cared for other child/ren (+4,018 males)
  • Cared for their own child/ren and other child/ren (-706 males)

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