The early learning and childcare sector in Ireland plays a vital role in society, supporting families, enabling economic participation, and shaping future generations. At the same time, providers face increasing regulatory pressure, evolving funding models, and operational complexity.

At HLB Ireland, we understand that running a childcare business requires balancing care quality with financial sustainability. Our team works closely with owner-managers, operators, and not-for-profit providers to deliver clear, practical advice that supports both compliance and long-term growth.

How we help

One team across the full lifecycle of a transaction, from first valuation conversation to completion and beyond.

• M&A advisory: Sell-side and buy-side. We run a discreet, competitive process, identify the right strategic or financial buyer, and negotiate and manage the deal through to completion.
• Valuation: Defensible valuations that treat Core Funding, ECCE and NCS as the recurring revenue they are, so your earnings are priced on their true, sustainable quality.
• Vendor due diligence: An independent review of your business that you commission and complete before going to market, allowing you to identify and resolve potential areas of concern on your own terms and timeline, well ahead of buyer scrutiny. The payoff is stronger buyer confidence in your numbers and a competitive process that maintains momentum, safeguarding both your valuation and the certainty of your deal.
• Financial modelling: Integrated models that flex for policy fee-cap changes, the ERO wage trajectory, and occupancy and staffing scenarios so both you and your buyer can see the downside and the upside.
• Restructuring: For operators squeezed by the fee freeze and rising wage floors, HLB Ireland can provide practical options to stabilise, refinance or reposition the business, whether you intend to hold or to sell.
• Tax planning: Structuring a transaction efficiently, including the reliefs relevant to founders exiting a business they built, so that more of the value you’ve created stays with you.

Talk to us today

If you own a childcare business and are wondering what it’s worth - or whether now is the moment to act - reach out to Eoghan Briody at [email protected] to have a confidential conversation.