The North Carolina DCDEE Stakeholder Engagement Study was conducted to learn from and strengthen connections with the early childhood community. This study focused on understanding how well the Division has done in the past to provide opportunities for community members to share their experiences and feedback, as well as gathering input on ways the Division can improve its engagement efforts in the future. This study also marks the first phase of a larger effort. To best serve families and communities, the Division is working to create a framework that will guide more qualitative approaches to decisions about services for young children. Lessons learned from the study will be used to inform and develop the framework. This framework will be an important step to ensuring the voices and lived experience of the early childhood community are a driving force behind important changes to child care in the state—now and in the future. (author abstract)