While employee ownership and co-operative models are relatively uncommon compared to other models of business, there are highly successful examples of both in the childcare sector.
Independent co-operatives have been around as early as the 1960s. The Co-operative Childcare is a prominent chain. Part of retail group The Midcounties Co-operative, the chain has 47 settings and caters for 3,495 children. Childbase is a rare example of the employee ownership sector, also with 47 settings, catering for 3,884 children.
The co-operative childcare movement
Co-operatives date back to the 15th century; now, more than 15 million people in the UK 'own' a co-operative. Ownership is a co-operative's defining characteristic: members own and run it and take a share in its profits. As membership of a co-operative must be open, 'members' can be members of the public. Thus follows the co-operative ethos that it must benefit its local community.
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