Capturing the perspectives of a diverse range of early childhood education and care stakeholders

Current approaches to research in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), in particular in relation to methods designed to interrogate policy and practice developments, tend not to focus on gathering empirical data through collaborative networks. This article provides a critical reflection on a novel qualitative methodological approach to gathering data through engaging participants in a professional conversation that involved a broad community of ECEC stakeholders in the Irish context. This methodology was informed by a professional conversation approach first employed in Queensland, Australia to support the professional learning and development of ECEC leaders in relation to new policy developments (Irvine & Price, 2014). The professional conversation methodology was adapted and expanded to the Irish context and was applied to a series of symposia between 2015 and 2019. Recognising this methodological approach as a way to employ research evidence in and from policy and practice in ECEC and in education more broadly represents an innovation that has the potential to positively impact research, policy and practice knowledge.