Joanne has been a lecturer and researcher on the Early Childhood Education and Care Programme since 2010. After completing her BSc (Hons) in Sociology and Psychology, she worked with pre-school autistic children in both home and early childhood settings, delivering education programmes and participating in multi-disciplinary support. During this time she completed her MEd in Inclusive Education through the Open University. Joanne is programme coordinator of the work-based Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programme and Placement Coordinator for the full-time ECEC programme. She is committed to professional development and recognition of the ECEC professional workforce, gender diversity, inclusion and representation. She has taught modules on early learning, research, professional practice, and social and emotional development and has supervised research students at undergraduate and Masters level. Joanne has been involved in the activities of Plé: The Irish Association of Academics in Early Childhood Education and Care since 2016 as a representative of ITB and TU Dublin. She participates in research activities and the Placement Special Interest Group. Plé has been working to advance the professional ECEC workforce.

Placement & Professional Practice; Supporting Positive Interactions in Early Childhood

Joanne’s research focus is on gender in early childhood education and care, particularly in relation to the workforce; professional practice; diversity and inclusion; leadership and mentoring. She is interested in wider issues of gender, representation, inclusion and gender equality.

Her PhD research investigated the career trajectories of men and women in ECEC in Ireland with a particular focus on the experiences of men, the attitudes of parents and the visibility of ECEC as a profession.

As part of her involvement in the Early Childhood Research Association (EECERA) Gender SIG, she was involved in an international research collaboration with researchers across twelve countries to contribute to the book: Brody, D.L., Emilsen, K., Rohrmann, T. and Warin, J. (Eds.) Exploring Career Trajectories of Men in the Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce. Abingdon, Oxon: New York, NY: Routledge, 2021. Routledge.

She is currently a researcher on the EECERA Gender SIG international project: 'Mentoring Men in ECEC' https://gender-kindheitspaedagogik.hawk.de/en/male-professionals-ecec

Research group membership

Children’s Research Network of Ireland and Northern Ireland

• Early Childhood Research Special Interest Group (Co-chair 2022-23)

European Early Childhood Research Association (EECERA)

• Gender Special Interest Group: Member 2016- present (Co-convenor since 2025)

Post Graduate Research Sub Committee: Humanities representative 2020-2022

Publications

McHale, J., Sullivan, V. & Ljunggren, B. (2023). ’Does Leadership Matter? A Narrative Analysis of Men’s Life Stories in ECEC.’ In Matshediso, M., Fonsén, E., Heikka, J., Phatudi, N., Bee, M., & Phala, T. (eds) Global Perspectives on Leadership in Early Childhood Education Helsinki University Press.

McHale, J. (2023). ‘Men in ECEC in Ireland: Diversifying the Workforce’ in Barnardos (2023) Men in Early Childhood Education and Care, Childlinks Issue 2

McHale, J. (2022). Gender, Care and Career Trajectories in Early Childhood Education and care in Ireland [Doctoral Thesis]. UCL Institute of Education. UCL Discovery. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10146579/ 

Ljunggren, B., McHale, J. and Sullivan, V. (2021). 'Workplace environment: Leadership and governance'. In Brody, D.L., Emilsen, K., Rohrmann, T. and Warin, J. (Eds.) (2021). Exploring Career Trajectories of Men in the Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce: Why They Leave and Why They Stay. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.

Sahin-Sak, I.T., Sak, R., Eidevald, C., & McHale J. (2021). ’Critical Moments in Men’s Career Trajectories’ in Brody, D.L., Emilsen, K., Rohrmann, T. and Warin, J. (Eds.) Exploring Career Trajectories of Men in the Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce. Abingdon, Oxon: New York, NY: Routledge, 2021. Routledge.

Conference Presentations

McHale, J. (2023). ‘Men’s professional agency in ECEC in Ireland,’ presented at the 31^st European Early Childhood Research Association Conference, Lisbon, 31^ST August 2023. 

McHale, J. (2022). ‘Crossing the Gender Line: The Pervasive Power of Gender Roles,’ presented at 30th European Early Childhood Research Association Conference, Glasgow, 24th August 2022.

Sullivan, V. & McHale, J. (2019). ‘“Oh! I didn’t realise a man can be a childcare worker!” Navigating Gender Roles: A comparison of the male early childhood workforce in Australia and Ireland,’ presented at the 29th European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece, 23rd August 2019.

McHale, J. (2019). ‘Ability is more important than gender’ Parents’ attitudes to male early childhood educators in Ireland’ presented at the UCL Institute of Education Doctoral School Conference, London, 20th June 2019.

McHale, J. (2018). ‘Male early childhood educators in Ireland: An exploration of the views of female colleagues,’ presented at the 28th European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 30th August 2018.

McHale, J. (2018). ‘Gender in the Early Years Workforce: Meeting Gender Targets’ presented at the Irish Social Policy Association Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Conference, Dublin, Ireland 27th July 2018.

McHale, J. (2018). ‘Armed with Naivety’ The Gendered Experiences of an Early Childhood Worker,’ presented at the UCL Institute of Education Doctoral School Conference, London, England, 21st June 2018.

McHale, J. (2017) ‘Career Trajectories of Male Early Childhood Workers in Ireland,’ presented at the 27th European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference, Bologna, Italy, 30th August 2017.

McHale, J. & McGrath, D. (2016) ‘Does the Floor Book Approach Facilitate Learning and Engagement for Students in Early Childhood?’ presented at the 26th European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference, 1st September 2016.

McHale, J. (2016). ‘Men in the Early Years in Ireland’ presented at the UCL Institute of Education Doctoral School Conference, London, England, 16th June 2016.