Getting Candid with Karen Clince

Karen Clince is Managing Director of Tigers Childcare, a childcare provider to over 1100 children across 13 centres in Dublin and Meath.

She started her first business in 2003 when she set up Ireland’s first after-school childcare facility in St. Vincent’s Primary School in Glasnevin to cater for the growing number of working parents seeking flexible childminding options for their school-going children. Over the next 7 years she went on to open 7 pre-school and after-school childcare facilities in various schools throughout Dublin, such was the demand for these services.

2011 saw Karen extend Tigers Childcare services to offer full-day care in purpose built early years centres in Swords, County Dublin and Ashbourne in Meath. In 2013 Karen was nominated to the board of Fingal County Childcare, which she now chairs.

She has acted as an advisor to many Government departments and voluntary bodies, on childcare and early years education and currently sits on a school age childcare working group at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA). 

Karen’s knowledge of child development and best practice has pushed her to strive towards providing excellence within the sector.