| M. Brussoni, Director |
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 issues, with a focus of ensuring that research knowledge is translated to community and policy action. HELP connects researchers, graduate students, and practitioners from communities and institutions across B.C., Canada, and internationally.
HELP's research program traces the neurodevelopment, cognitive, socio-economic, familial, peer, biological, cognitive, community, and cultural factors in child development.This program of 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. Such research is making a significant contribution to the understanding of, and approaches to, early child development, education, and intervention, so that all children have the means to reach their full potential.
Drawn from such disciplines as neurology, pediatrics, biology, social sciences, epidemiology, psychology, education, and other fields, HELP engages in collaborative, multi-focused studies to create new knowledge that could not emerge from the perspective of any one discipline.
HELP works in partnership with, and receives funding from, the B.C. Ministries of Children and Family Development, Education, and Health.