Day Nursery Owners Conference 2026

Join us for the Day Nursery Owners Conference 2026, the UK’s premier business event for nursery owners and childcare business leaders. Taking place at the cutting‑edge Mandolay Hotel venue in the heart of Guildford, this one-day conference is designed to inspire, inform, and connect those shaping the future of early years education.

With a dynamic line‑up of keynote speakers and panel discussions, you’ll gain actionable insights into growing your nursery business, attracting and retaining staff, boosting occupancy, and navigating the ever‑changing childcare sector. This is your chance to hear from leading voices in business and discover innovative strategies that deliver real results.

Why Attend?

• Network with like‑minded day nursery owners and sector experts.
• Discover proven marketing, recruitment, and business growth strategies.
• Stay ahead of policy changes and industry trends.
• Be inspired by success stories from thriving nurseries across the UK.
• Connect with suppliers and service providers offering solutions tailored for early years settings.
• Pre-Event Party the night before- perfect for networking and meeting other owners!
• The National Day Nursery Awards, three-course Black tie dinner and party in the evening.
• Lunch, Refreshments and Starbucks Sponsored Coffee Stations!

Whether you run a single nursery or a growing group, the Day Nursery Owners Conference 2026 will equip you with the tools, ideas, and connections you need to take your business to the next level.

Secure your place now for this must‑attend early years business event and join us in Guildford this February for two days of learning, networking, and inspiration.

*This is a business conference, not your standard "childcare conference"!

Info: Jo Fairley is one of the UK's leading female entrepreneurs. After becoming the UK’s youngest-ever magazine editor, at the age of 23, she went on to co-found the pioneering Green & Black’s Chocolate, the world’s first organic chocolate and the UK’s first Fairtrade-marked product, now a $100 million a year brand.

Info: After growing up in a retail environment and watching her dad’s customer service skills over the years, Jules fell in love with the business of people. It is because of this that Jules promotes her Unique Human Proposition, making sure each interaction is personalised to gain loyalty in consumers. In her earlier career Jules won an investment from Peter Jones on Dragons Den for her business Truly Madly Baby, which she declined, coining her the name ‘Dragon Slayer’. Jules has worked in many different sectors from hospitality to digital marketing and therefore has an extensive breadth of knowledge that she shares in her talks.

More recently in her career, Jules has written and published a book called ‘Live it, Love it, Sell it’ where she highlights three main areas that she believes are integral to successful sales and profitable businesses. Throughout the book, Jules promotes her love for human conversation as well as her many years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience. Jules a

Info: Hear from our 4 Premium Sponsors for the Day Nursery Owners Conference 2026 featuring: Realise, Wilcox Day Wealth Management, Redwings HR & Hazlewoods!

Info: Widley recognised for her work as the Managing Director of Social Chain, one of the UK’s most influential social media agencies. Known for her straight-talking style and practical leadership insights, Katy’s standout achievement was scaling Social Chain from 30 to over 130 staff and helping to build the agency into a household name in partnership with Steven Bartlett. Alongside her business success, she is also a top-ranked podcast host, rated in the top five business podcasts on iTunes, and a passionate advocate for mental health, purpose-driven leadership, and inclusive workplaces. fter leaving Social Chain, she became CEO of Relentless Group, Gary Neville’s media company. She headed the media team at Salford City FC, launched the club’s social channels, and grew its fanbase by applying the psychology of fandom. The aim was to turn local kids whose dads supported Manchester United into lifelong Salford fans.

Info: Our Evening Drinks Sponsor: Realise are a training provider who helps people to unlock their potential. Everything we do is built upon our passionate, curious and human culture. They ensure that learners are on the right programmes to achieve their ambitions. They do this by having real conversations with people and organisations.

As one of the largest providers of apprenticeships and adult education programmes in England, thhey have a network of over 500 skilful and consistent trainers, each with in-depth industry insight across multiple levels of training. Every year over 16,500 people are trained by one of our experts.

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