UK operator Just Childcare secures £50m to continue its expansion

Just Childcare, the owner and operator of 59 early education and care centres in the North West of England, has secured £50 million pounds (around A$85 million) of new funding to continue its acquisition strategy to grow its business.  

Established in 2004 by David and Jaqueline Johnson, the Group has seen growth accelerate in recent years as private equity group Phoenix Equity Partners became shareholders in November 2014. 

Since then, the Just Childcare network has grown from seven day nurseries (the equivalent of a  long day care setting in Australia) to 59 with this latest capital line expected to see that number increase materially. 

Just Childcare is now, according to information provider daynurseries.co.uk, the fourth equal largest provider of ECEC services in England behind Busy Bees and Bright Horizons who have around 375 and 255 centres respectively and not-for-profit provider Early Years Alliance which has around 80 centres. Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries has around 59, equal to Just Childcare. 

Commenting on the announcement Chief Executive Officer David Johnson noted “We are really pleased to have secured this new financing package to further fuel our growth plans. We are extremely excited about the prospect of bringing Just Childcare’s quality of care to more and more children across the country.”

The new funding package comes after the announcement of the completion of two new group acquisitions, Jack & Jill Nurseries and Pre-School in the Wirral, and the St Mary’s and Small World nurseries, owned by Doncaster Nurseries, in South Yorkshire which between them added six new settings to the group.

For more information on Just Childcare, please click here.