Koru Kids
UK childcare company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Koru Kids is a UK-based childcare company founded in 2016 and headquartered in London.[1] The company provides part-time and full-time nannies and has been covered in national media in connection with childcare policy and family life in the UK.[2] It also attracted political attention after an investment by Akshata Murty, wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which led to a 2023 standards inquiry and an apology from Sunak; Murty later transferred her shares to charity in 2024.[3][4]
History
Koru Kids was founded by Rachel Carrell, a former healthcare executive, Rhodes Scholar, and WEF Young Global Leader.[5] Carrell has a doctorate from the University of Oxford and is the company’s CEO.[6]
In 2017, the business was shortlisted for Tech Business of the Year and The Start Up Loans Inspiring Entrepreneur of the Year at the Startups Awards.[7]
The business initially focused on providing university students as after-school nannies in London, later expanding across the UK and broadening its recruitment to include older workers and professional childcarers.[8] By 2025, media reports noted that more than 5,000 families were using Koru Kids each month to search for childcare, with most placements involving part-time arrangements of around 13 hours per week.[9]
Koru Kids launched a home nursery scheme in early 2021 to cover training and set up costs to help new childminders run nurseries in their own home.[10] In June 2023, Koru Kids shuttered the service to focus solely on providing their after-school nannies service citing that "regulations are not currently set up to support childminding agencies becoming financially sustainable.".[11]
A 2023 article in The Guardian highlighted the company’s practice of using formal contracts and paying at least the minimum wage, contrasting this with some other childcare platforms in the UK.[12]
Research and campaigns
Media reporting on Koru Kids’ commissioned research has highlighted issues of childcare access, affordability, and parental leave. A 2024 study found that many parents struggled to access wraparound care, with children spending an average of 1.5 hours on screens after school when provision was unavailable.[13][14][15]
In 2023, another survey reported widespread dissatisfaction with UK paternity leave packages, particularly around length of leave, pay, and workplace flexibility.[16]
The company and its founder have also been cited in wider discussions of childcare policy. BBC News covered its analysis of government wraparound childcare plans,[17] while Rachel Carrell has been quoted on family policy in national outlets including The Independent.[18]
Investors and political attention
In 2019, Akshata Murty, wife of Rishi Sunak, invested in Koru Kids through her venture fund Catamaran Ventures.[19]
In April 2023, after becoming Prime Minister, Sunak faced a parliamentary investigation for failing to declare his wife’s shares when questioned about childcare policy. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards concluded the omission was “inadvertent” but required Sunak to apologise.[20][21][22] In January 2024, Murty announced she had transferred her shares to charity.[23]
Koru Kids has also received investment from venture capital funds including AlbionVC, Forward Partners, JamJar, Global Founders Capital, and Atomico.[24][25][26]