Macedon Ranges ShireCommunity profile
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Macedon Ranges Shire

Unpaid childcare

In the Macedon Ranges Shire 11,588 people (31.6% of people aged 15+) provided unpaid care to children in 2016. Of these, 3,307 people were caring for children other than their own.

The role of unpaid childcare in the Macedon Ranges Shire 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
Macedon Ranges Shire - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20162011Change
Unpaid child careNumber%Regional VIC %Number%Regional VIC %2011 to 2016
map this data in atlas.idProvided unpaid child care (all)11,58831.627.210,58532.128.0+1,003
Cared for own child/ren
8,28122.618.47,57923.019.2+702
Cared for other child/ren
2,8947.97.92,5527.77.8+342
Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren
4131.10.94541.41.1-41
No unpaid child care provided
21,96859.963.020,48062.164.2+1,488
Not stated
3,1108.59.81,8985.87.7+1,212

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 VIC: 9.8% No unpaid child care provided, Regional VIC: 63.0% Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Regional VIC: 0.9% Cared for other child/ren, Regional VIC: 7.9% Cared for own child/ren, Regional VIC: 18.4% Provided unpaid child care (all), Regional VIC: 27.2% Not stated, Macedon Ranges Shire: 8.5% No unpaid child care provided, Macedon Ranges Shire: 59.9% Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: 1.1% Cared for other child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: 7.9% Cared for own child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: 22.6% Provided unpaid child care (all), Macedon Ranges Shire: 31.6%
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, Macedon Ranges Shire: +1,212 No unpaid child care provided, Macedon Ranges Shire: +1,488 Cared for own child/ren and other child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: -41 Cared for other child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: +342 Cared for own child/ren, Macedon Ranges Shire: +702 Provided unpaid child care (all), Macedon Ranges Shire: +1,003
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 population in the Macedon Ranges Shire in 2016 compared to Regional VIC shows that there was a higher proportion of people who provided unpaid child care either to their own or to other children. Overall, 31.6% of the population provided unpaid child care, compared with 27.2% for Regional VIC.

The major differences between the share of the population providing unpaid child care in the Macedon Ranges Shire and Regional VIC were:

  • A larger percentage who provided unpaid childcare for own child/ren (22.6% compared to 18.4%)
  • A smaller percentage who did not provide care for children (59.9% compared to 63.0%)

Emerging groups

The number of people who provided unpaid child care for their own and/or other people's children in Macedon Ranges Shire increased by 1,003 between 2011 and 2016.

The largest changes in the number of people performing unpaid child care in the Macedon Ranges Shire, between 2011 and 2016 were those who:

  • Provided no unpaid child care (+1,488 persons)
  • Cared for their own child/ren (+702 persons)
  • Cared for other child/ren (+342 persons)

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