People caring for children unpaid

At the 2021 Census, People caring for children unpaid across Australia was 26.3%. The share of people aged 15 and over who looked after a child without pay in the two weeks before the Census — their own children or others'.

Share of people aged 15+ who provided unpaid child care. It is calculated as a percentage of the relevant population or dwellings, so it can be compared fairly between large and small areas.

It maps where the day-to-day work of raising children falls, and combined with age and family data shows how communities share that load.

Across the 2,383 SA2 areas with data, People caring for children unpaid ranges from 0.0% to 60.9%, with a typical (median) area at 26.2%.

Yes — People caring for children unpaid is measured consistently enough to compare across the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, so the trend over time is meaningful. Nationally it has fallen from 27.8% in 2011 to 26.3% in 2021.

Use the interactive map to compare People caring for children unpaid down to block (sa1) and statistical area 2 (sa2) level, or search any suburb, postcode or council area to see its value in context against state and national figures.