The Human Early Learning Partnership

The Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research network, based at the University of British Columbia. HELP’s unique partnership brings together many scientific viewpoints to address complex early child development (ECD) issues. HELP connects researchers and practitioners from communities and institutions across B.C., Canada, and internationally.

What does HELP do?

HELP’s interdisciplinary approach reaches from ‘cell to society’. We study everything from how early experience affects the development of the brain, to children’s development over time, to family policy. HELP builds on a range of population health approaches, including social determinants of health. HELP takes a life course approach, accepting the early years as the first and most critical in determining life-long health and wellbeing.

HELP’s research follows three core thrusts. Neurogenomics and Epigenetics informs our understanding of the biology of development, and explores the processes and structures that influence a child’s development over time. Developmental Trajectories builds a rich database of child development information that helps better understand children’s development over time and informs policy and practice. Policy and Program Monitoring develops evidence-based program and policy recommendations that are consistent with our understanding of the science of early development and that address high levels of child vulnerability.

These research areas are led by faculty based at HELP who are working with a network of researchers from B.C., Canada and around the world whose work informs and builds on our comprehensive approach. Faculty are an essential component of HELP’s interdisciplinary work.

Why is this research important?

HELP’s early child development research explores how different early environments and experiences contribute to social inequalities in children’s development by school age and, thus, to their life chances later on.

Foundational to this is an understanding of all of the environmental influences that affect children's development: from those closest to them - particularly family - to more distant influences such as provincial and national policy. To assist us in this understanding, HELP developed a TEAM-ECD diagram, which depicts the interacting and interdependent spheres of influence in a child's life.

This research is compelling. Early experiences shape our development as humans. Positive and negative experiences become ‘embedded’ in the biology of our brains and bodies, persisting far into adult life and influencing our health and well-being. Genes and environments interact to determine how early experiences affect our development.  Healthy, thriving children are essential to a prosperous and sustainable society. There are profound social and economic benefits associated with an enhanced investment in the early years. Later health and education programs would be more effective and less costly if we could strengthen the foundations of social development, health, and learning in early childhood.

HELP’s research demonstrates the need for new ways of thinking and acting at every level. Working in partnership with communities, businesses, and government, HELP ensures that its research is relevant and useful, supporting individuals, communities, and governments to make wise and informed decisions toward social change. It is imperative that we ensure optimal environments for all children, working with parents and caregivers, program and service delivery, staff, communities, bureaucrats, and political leaders to do so.

Cross-cutting Lenses

A number of important social perspectives are at the centre of HELP's research inquiry. HELP's research is carefully guided by an Aboriginal Steering Committee (ASC) whose ten members, including an Elder, represent a diverse group of Aboriginal communities from across the province.  The ASC members are closely linked to the "on the ground" reality of B.C.'s Aboriginal children and act as key informants to HELP's research priorities. They help lead the discussions on the best mechanisms for identifying the factors contributing to both success and vulnerability in the Aboriginal child population and the resources and policies that will help children and families thrive.  In addition to ensuring HELP's work is culturally relevant and safe, the committee members act as community capacity builders and knowledge translators, sharing the story of HELP research initiatives and research findings with Aboriginal communities around British Columbia.

In addition, HELP's research sheds light on the developmental issues of diverse cultural groups and boys and girls. Acting as the international secretariat, HELP is playing a lead role in monitoring child rights around the world.

Our Impact

HELP is recognized as a leading research institute in Canada in early child development. The impact of our research has rippled out from our home at the University of British Columbia. Community Early Years Round Tables throughout B.C. extensively use HELP data to plan and implement programs. In addition, HELP data is included in B.C. government strategic planning and performance measurement documents. As a result, over 500 community initiatives have been implemented in part because of EDI data. The business community in British Columbia is starting to take note of the importance of the early years. The B.C. Business Council commissioned a report, entitled 15 by 15: A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in B.C., on the impact of reducing childhood vulnerability on B.C.'s economy.

Nationally, HELP was appointed Secretariat for the Forum for Early Child Development Monitoring, which works toward a comprehensive early child development monitoring system in Canada.  Internationally, HELP was the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Knowledge Hub from 2006 to 2009 and is currently the Secretariat for the Global ECD Knowledge Network. As the Secretariat, HELP has created an Indicators Framework for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and works as an advisor to countries around the world on monitoring and the use of ECD data for evidence-based decision-making.