Child Day Care Services Overview
Child day care services are invaluable to parents and guardians around the world, and a wide range of private and not-for-profit daycare companies exist to meet the needs of busy adults and their children. These daycare centers operate in a variety of ways, from for-profit franchises to child care companies that partner with corporations to non-profit organizations. The world’s top daycare companies take many forms and fill several different niches.
Many corporations are offering child day care services to their employees, not only as a benefit to incentivise and reward workers, but also as a way to reduce absences due to care gaps or other setbacks. Employers may run and manage these services themselves, but often they partner with outside daycare companies that already have the expertise and resources to run a daycare center. Many of the market’s top daycare companies offer these services to employers in addition to running their own child care centers.
The global child day care services market is a substantial one, valued at almost $300 billion in 2019 and expected to pass the $400 billion mark as soon as 2023, according to analysis by The Business Research Company. Growth is expected to be slow through the remainder of 2020 due to the global economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 and the operational challenges it presents to businesses like daycare companies. However, once the pandemic passes the market is expected to recover and the growth rate will increase. While many people will likely continue to work from home after the pandemic rather than return to the office, child day care services are still invaluable as they provide both education and socialization for children while allowing parents to focus on work.
Who Are the Top Daycare Companies in the World for 2020?
Several of the world’s top daycare companies operate across multiple countries and regions, but often child care companies focus on one national market, as laws and education standards can vary significantly from country to country, providing extra challenges for daycare centers to navigate. However, some child care companies mitigate this by developing or acquiring other brands or operating franchises, allowing them to take advantage of the expertise of people native to the area. Regardless of whether they operate in one country or many, the top daycare companies employ a range of strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
Top Child Care Centers in 2020
Company |
Date Founded |
Headquarters |
Number oflocations |
| Bright Horizons Family Solutions | 1986 | Watertown, US | 1000+ |
| G8 Education | 2006 | Varsity Lakes, Australia | 470+ |
| Goodstart Early Learning | 2009 | Brisbane, Australia | 644 |
| JP Holdings Inc. | 1993 | Nagoya, Japan | 297 |
| KinderCare Education LLC | 1969 | Portland, US | 1,300 |
| KU Children’s Services | 1895 | Sydney, Australia | N/A |
| Learning Care Group | 1967 | Novi, US | 900+ |
| Nobel Learning Communities, Inc. | 1984 | West Chester, US | 190 |
| Primrose Schools | 1982 | Atlanta, US | 400+ |
Bright Horizons Family Solutions
- Founded: 1986
- Headquarters: Watertown, US
- Daycare centers: 1000+
- Employees: 32,000
With revenue of over $2 billion last year, Bright Horizons is one of the top daycare companies in the US and the world. Headquartered in the US, the company also has offices in Canada, the UK, India, and across Europe, and offers child care solutions for both families and employees. Bright Horizons runs over 1,000 child care centers and serves more than 1,100 organizations. On top of its child day care services, the company also provides elder care, tuition program management, education advising, and student loan repayment programs.
G8 Education
- Founded: 2006
- Headquarters: Varsity Lakes, Australia
- Daycare Centers: 470+
- Employees: 11,000
- Brands: 21
G8 Education operates early learning centers for more than 58,000 children across Australia. The daycare company provides care and education to children under 12 in its indoor and outdoor spaces using evidence-based early learning teaching methods. Founded as a family-owned company in 2006, G8 Education is now Australia’s largest publicly listed child day care services company with an umbrella of 21 brands.
Goodstart Early Learning
- Founded: 2009
- Headquarters: Brisbane, Australia
- Learning centers: 644
- Employees: 14,900
Unlike several of the other top daycare companies in this list, Goodstart is a not-for-profit organization. Founded by a consortium of community sector organizations in Australia, Goodstart provides early learning and care for over 70,000 children across the country. The enterprise also invests in research into areas such as speech and language development, social and emotional wellbeing and thinking skills, and more.
JP Holdings Inc.
- Founded: 1993
- Headquarters: Nagoya, Japan
- Facilities: 297
- Employees: 6,000+
JP Holdings is a Japanese company that primarily operates nursery schools and children’s clubs across the country, as well as related businesses in the area of gymnastics, food service, distribution, and research. JP Holdings serves approximately 20,000 children, with many more on waiting lists for its facilities.
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KinderCare Education LLC
- Founded: 1969
- Headquarters: Portland, US
- Learning Centers: 1,300
With over 1,300 learning centers and partnerships with more than 400 organizations across the US, KinderCare Education serves more than 161,000 children between the ages of six weeks and 12 years. The company provides family care benefits, tuition benefits, and backup care for its partner organizations, and also operates more than 400 elementary school-based sites that provide before- and after-school programs. Its other brands include Cambridge Schools, Knowledge Beginnings, the Grove School, and Rainbow Child Care Center.
KU Children’s Services
- Founded: 1895
- Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
- Programs: 140
- Employees: 2,200+
Originally founded as the Kindergarten Union of NSW 125 years ago, KU Children’s Services began its operations to serve disadvantaged children in the community. Today, this not-for-profit daycare company serves over 12,000 children in Australia, providing preschools, childcare, and other early education services. In addition to education, KU provides programs for students with additional needs, as well as support for newly arrived migrant and refugee children and their families.
Learning Care Group
- Founded: 1967
- Headquarters: Novi, US
- Schools: 900+
- Teachers: 18,000+
- Brands: 8
Learning Care Group is one of the largest for-profit child care services companies in the US, with over 900 schools serving more than 130,000 children aged 6 weeks to 12 years. The company offers programs for infants, pre-K, and junior kindergarten, as well as for school-age students with working parents. Along with its daycare centers for families and corporations, Learning Care Group provides employer tuition subsidy, contingency planning, and back-up care services, along with custom solutions for employers. Its brands include La Petite Academy, Childtime, Tutor Time, The Children’s Courtyard, Creative Kids Learning Center, Montessori Unlimited, Everbrook Academy, and Pathways Learning Academy.
Nobel Learning Communities, Inc.
- Founded: 1984
- Headquarters: West Chester, US
- Schools: 190
One of the leading providers of private education in the US, Nobel Learning Communities serves over 25,000 students from preschool to high school. The company focuses on small class sizes and personalized learning plans, and offers an online private school in addition to its physical classrooms. As of 2018, Nobel Learning Communities is owned by the China-based investment firm Primavera Capital Group and Spring Education Group.
Primrose Schools
- Founded: 1982
- Headquarters: Atlanta, US
- Schools: 400+
Primrose Schools is a US system of private preschools that provides child care and education for infants and children across the country. The company operates as a franchise, partnering with franchise owners to provide daycare services to more than 54,000 children and families. Its offerings cover infants, toddlers, early preschool, preschool, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten, as well as part-time, after school, and summer programs.
Which Child Care Companies Lead the Market Near You?
These are only a few of the top daycare companies around the world. Discover more leading child day care services providers through BizVibe’s global marketplace.
