Community demands to Bain Capital: Put Kids Before Profits

Bright Horizons buyout sparks day of action in five cities

Parents, child care providers, community leaders and children rallied in downtown Chicago today to protest Bain Capital’s buyout of Bright Horizon’s Family Solutions—the country’s third-largest for-profit child care provider—as part of a national day of action urging quality care over profits.

“As child care providers and parents, we need to make sure our children are getting quality care and early education,” explained Faith Arnold, Bellwood home child care provider and member of the Child Care & Early Learning Division of SEIU Healthcare Illinois. “Every day we see the way a lack of resources and staffing shortages affect our kids. Bain needs to invest in quality child care instead of making the harmful cuts they are known for.”

Bain Capital’s lack of experience in child care and early learning leaves parents and teachers troubled. Bain’s portfolio is primary made up of companies in information technologies, communications, healthcare, manufacturing and retail.

Even more troubling is Bain’s track record of companies filing for bankruptcy during or soon after their years in the Bain portfolio—like KB Toys and Ampad. These and other companies laid off thousands of employees and closed sites.

Bright Horizons centers serve an estimated 1,000 children in Cook County and 3,000 children across Illinois. As part of a $1.3 billion in January, Bright Horizons became one of Bain’s “managed assets”—and saddling the child care center with $850 million in new debts.

Protesters in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, DC all called for Bain Capital to ensure that parents, teachers and community members have a voice in Bright Horizon’s future, to ensure that children—not profits—remain the top priority.

“It’s time for Bain Capital to do the right thing in our community, not yesterday but right now,” said Action Now member Michelle Young.