In my role as CEO of Enrolmy — a company built to serve those who serve children and families — I get asked the same question more and more: what does AI actually mean for our industry?
My answer is always the same: it doesn't mean robots looking after kids (or an ai-powered toy taking over the room). Though that has been tested, with alarming results. But that's a story for another time.
What it does mean is harder to summarise in a single answer — because AI looks different depending on where you sit in an organisation, your responsibility, and the day-to-day communication that keeps programmes running. So I'm going to tackle it in three parts, across three weeks, for three audiences.
For leaders and owners: Because running a school-aged childcare or kids' activities organisation is a noble and genuinely weighty endeavour, and an integral part of families’ daily lives. I know this from leading a music school across multiple countries, and from the conversations I have with industry leaders every day. The strategic questions AI raises for you are significant, and they deserve serious treatment — from overall business management and administration, to choosing the right technology and software, and using valuable data-driven insights to support increased efficiency without losing what matters.
For administrators: Because none of the extraordinary organisations that serve children and families would exist without the people who turn great ideas into real programmes. Office managers, coordinators, marketing teams: you are the ones who make it actually happen. AI is going to change your world, including the mundane administrative tasks that slow you down, and I want to talk about that honestly.
For the people on the ground: Coaches, tutors, teachers, site managers, play leaders, childcare professionals, and everyone else who makes each day genuinely great for the kids who show up. What does AI mean for you, in the room, in the moment?
Three groups. Strategic to operational to on-the-ground. Each deserves its own conversation.
One thing, though, holds true across all three: AI, when properly understood, is not a buzzword. It is a genuine shift in how organisations can operate and it is moving fast.
The game has changed. Join me over the next three weeks as I unpack what that actually means for our industry — and for the parents, educators, and teams making it all happen.