Red haired little boy in a blue jumper with a cheeky smile next to a blonde little girl with a blue flowery clip in her hair, a smiling brunette Partou team member and curly blonde haired girl wearing a pink top with pandas on. They are at the lunch table eating mashed potato and broccoli from green plates

Our history

50 years of childcare expertise

Founded in the Netherlands, Partou has been providing quality childcare since 1975, when we opened our first childcare centre. Today, Partou is the largest childcare organisation in the Netherlands — a country where, according to a UNICEF study, children are among the happiest in the world.

In 2024, Partou launched the UK following the merger of two nursery groups, Just Childcare and All About Children. We now operate 106 nurseries, caring for around 9,000 children and employing over 2,000 dedicated childcare professionals, including 240 apprentices.

Partou Group

The Partou Group unites three childcare organisations across the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany, driven by shared values and ambitions.

With over 13,000 employees at 915 settings, we care for nearly 85,000 children across Europe. One team, one mission: supporting children to grow into confident, resilient, and curious learners.

Read our Social Responsibility Report 2024

Partou UK

Samantha Rhodes has led Partou in the UK since the merger of the Just Childcare and All About Children groups in 2023. Inspired by the success of Partou in the Netherlands, Samantha was compelled to bring the same vision to the UK: the belief that children shape the world of tomorrow

As part of the Netherlands’ largest childcare group, we’ve access to world-leading expertise in learning and development, so you can be confident your child will benefit from an experience as unique as they are.

Partou Day

Each June, we celebrate the anniversary of launching Partou in the UK, following the successful merger of nursery groups, Just Childcare and All About Children.

June 2025 marks a double celebration as not only is it our first anniversary in the UK, but it’s an incredible 50 years of providing childcare in the Netherlands.

Over the decades, childcare has seen many changes, especially in the UK, where social and cultural shifts have shaped the way families raise their children.

To learn more about our celebrations and the timeline of childcare’s most significant moments, visit our blog post on Partou Day.

Find a nursery

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Latest news

A stunning spring sensory flower investigation set up outdoors at a Partou nursery created to celebrate the clocks going forward in spring 2026. A dark tuff tray laid with a mirror base holds an abundant arrangement of silver metal bowls, pots, and galvanised buckets filled with pale lilac and soft pink coloured water, floating red, yellow, cream, and peach rose petals, and brightly coloured blue, orange, and pink foam flower shapes. A wooden pestle and mortar holds a pink chrysanthemum head ready for grinding, alongside an iridescent rainbow glass sphere and an amber glass globe vase. Fresh cut flowers including deep magenta chrysanthemums, soft pink lisianthus, white gypsophila, yellow marigolds, and sprigs of green foliage and dark teal blue thistle are arranged throughout the tray in a turquoise glass vase and scattered across the mirror surface. Loose red rose petals and green pine sprigs complete the invitation to explore. In the garden beyond, a wooden picket fence planter, black rubber tyres, and a pale blue trough are visible, reflecting the rich outdoor early years provision at this Partou nursery.
Clocks go forward 2026: helping your child adjust to the spring clock change 

From bedtime shifts to lighter evenings, the spring clock change can feel daunting when you have young children. Discover gentle, child-led ideas to help your baby or toddler adjust to British Summer Time, with practical tips for sleep, routines and nursery mornings.

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Three female nursery practioners from Partou Willowdene in Widnes standing outside next to a fence holding their Halton Healthy Early Years certificate
Partou Willowdene awarded Halton Healthy Early Years Status

Partou Willowdene in Widnes have been recognised for their commitment to giving children the healthiest start possible with a holistic approach to wellbeing that extends beyond the nursery world. Learn about their award and what this means for families.

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Top Tips for encouraging early literacy

From bedtime reading to singing in the car, the everyday moments you share with your child are already building the foundations for literacy. Discover simple, practical ways to nurture early years confidence with words, letters and sounds with no special resources needed.

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