This variable records people who, in the two weeks prior to Census Night, spent time caring for a child or children aged under 15 years without pay. It excludes care for a child given through an organisation or club. It includes people:

• caring for their own children, whether they usually live with them or not
• looking after other children in a family, such as grandchildren or children of relatives
• looking after children of friends or neighbours.

Persons aged 15 years and over

This variable is created from responses to the unpaid care question on the Census form. There is minimal risk to the errors in data processing as the answers are captured automatically from the mark box responses. If multiple responses are recorded, the ‘Yes’ responses are retained and the ‘No’ response is rejected.

The question on unpaid care for children was first asked in 2006.

No changes have been made for 2021.

Comparison with other surveys

Care should be taken when comparing Census data on unpaid child care with information from other surveys and publications. Definitions can differ between different statistical collections and may not match Census definitions.

Age and Unpaid child care data 

When analysing Unpaid child care data, users may notice older respondents who reported they cared for their own child. A small number of this group had their ages imputed, either due to the lack of respondent information or to conform to family processing rules. Imputation rules do not reference unpaid child care as a factor, so there is no statistical correlation between the fields Age and Unpaid child care for this group. The remainder reported their date of birth and/or age last birthday, and the output Age remains as reported.

The following scenarios are possible for this data: 

• Both variables are correct (for example an older parent looking after their child)
• Age is correct and the Unpaid child care response is wrong. Respondents may have misunderstood the child care question e.g. considered grandchildren, other children in the extended family to be their 'own children' or did not realise that the question referred to only children who were less than 15 years of age, or mistakenly included children (15 years and over) with a disability
• Age is incorrect and Unpaid child care is correct 
• Neither variable is correct

The non-response rate for Unpaid child care (CHCAREP) was 6.4% in 2021. This is a decrease from 8.3% in 2016. 

• Household composition (HHCD)
• Relationship in household (RLHP)
• Child

• People
• Childhood Education and Care, Australia, June 2014
• Unpaid work and care: Census

This variable records the number of hours people spent in the previous week doing domestic work without pay. Domestic work is work for the individual or household, whether in the household or in other places. Unpaid domestic work can include:

• meal preparation, service and clean-up
• washing, ironing and managing clothes
• any other housework
• gardening, mowing and yard work
• home maintenance
• car/bike maintenance
• household shopping and managing household financial affairs
• maintaining home internet connections and computer systems.

Any domestic work done as part of paid employment is excluded. Data from this variable will help provide an understanding of the way individuals and families balance paid work with other important aspects of their lives. For example, family and community commitments.

Persons aged 15 years and over

The variable is recorded directly from the unpaid domestic work question on the Census form. The responses to this question are captured automatically from mark box responses so the risk of errors during data processing are minimal. Where more than one response is marked, the 'Yes' response with the highest number of hours is accepted. This is accepted over any other responses, including any 'No' response.

The question on unpaid domestic work was first asked in 2006.

No changes have been made for 2021.

There are no data use considerations for this variable.

The non-response rate for Unpaid domestic work: number of hours (DOMP) was 6.6% in 2021. This is a decrease from 8.8% in 2016.

• Relationship in household (RLHP)
• Voluntary work for an organisation or group (VOLWP)

• People
• Unpaid work and care: Census

This variable records people who spent time doing unpaid voluntary work for an organisation or group in the twelve months prior to Census Night.

Unpaid voluntary work can include:

• assisting at organised events and with sports organisations
• helping with organised school events and activities
• assisting in churches, hospitals, nursing homes and charities
• other kinds of volunteer work (e.g. emergency services, serving on a committee for a club, etc.).

Organisations or groups can include:

• sporting teams
• youth groups
• schools
• religious organisations.

Unpaid voluntary work for an organisation or group excludes work done:

• as part of paid employment
• in a family business
• to qualify for a government benefit
• to obtain an educational qualification
• due to a community or court order.

Persons aged 15 years and over

The variable is recorded directly from the voluntary work question on the Census form. The responses to this question are recorded automatically from mark box responses, so the risk of errors during data processing are minimal. If both responses are recorded, the ‘Yes’ is accepted. The ‘No’ response will be rejected.

The question on voluntary work for an organisation or group was first asked in 2006.

No changes have been made for 2021.

Unpaid voluntary work for an organisation or group may include care of a child or care of a person with disability, a long-term illness or problems with old age. Unpaid child care (CHCAREP) and Unpaid assistance to a person with a disability, health condition or due to old age (UNCAREP) both exclude unpaid voluntary work for an organisation or group.

Care should be taken when comparing Census data on Voluntary work for an organisation or group with information from other surveys and publications. Definitions can differ between different statistical collections and may therefore not be comparable.

The non-response rate for Voluntary work for an organisation or group (VOLWP) was 6.4% in 2021. This is a decrease from 8.2% in 2016. 

• Unpaid child care (CHCAREP)
• Unpaid domestic work: number of hours (DOMP)
• Unpaid assistance to a person with a disability, health condition or due to old age (UNCAREP)

• General social survey
• Unpaid work and care: Census