For over 20 years HELP has promoted ‘equity from the start’, and used evidence to support and improve the health and well-being of children growing up in BC, Canada and beyond. During this time, HELP’s research and relationships have had significant impacts, both locally and globally.

Why the Early Years Matter

HELP has been a central voice in raising the importance of early childhood experiences and environments and how they shape lifelong health and development. The centre is recognized as a global leader in the field provincially, nationally and internationally, and championed the concept of early childhood development as a social determinant of health. Learn more.

Child Development Monitoring System

For over two decades, HELP has led the creation and expansion of a provincial Child Development Monitoring System to ensure we are effectively tracking the health and development of populations of children and youth in the province. This system continues to provide insights into inequities that exist between populations and communities in the province, and help us explore the impacts of policy and program changes, as well as influences from the pandemic. Learn more.

Research & Advocacy Initiatives

HELP has been proactive in undertaking research that supports evidence-informed innovation and improvements in health and social policy. This includes working alongside the Coalition of Child Care Advocates and others to support the adoption and implementation of universal, $10 a Day Child Care, as well as additional provincial and federal family policies. Read more.

Data to Action in Communities

HELP has supported the creation of over 1000 community-level programs and services that are informed by local and regional data, and tailored to address the unique circumstances and barriers in these communities. These initiatives, from the pre-natal to school-based, have contributed to promoting the health of children and families across the province. Learn more.

Population-Level Mental Health Data

In a comprehensive 2020 review, the Child Health Policy Unit at Simon Fraser University included HELP monitoring systems tools—the EDI and MDI —as two of twenty-five public data sources that are critical for monitoring children’s mental health and assessing public investments in BC, from infancy through late adolescence. Read more.

Social and Emotional Well-Being in Schools

HELP research and population-level data regarding the social and emotional development and well-being of children helped lay the foundation for the inclusion related competencies and strategic goals in provincial education frameworks including the redesign of the K-12 BC Curriculum and Mental health in Schools strategy. Learn more.

Knowledge Mobilization at HELP

HELP’s faculty and staff contribute to the process of data and evidence-informed decision-making within health, social and education systems, and in collaboration with communities, institutions and governments. These relationships help create and mobilize research that inform government policies and community practices to improve the health of children and families.

What is Knowledge Mobilization?

Knowledge mobilization involves researchers and knowledge users, such as practitioners, policymakers or communities, collaborating through the whole research cycle to improve the health of people and populations. Through co-creation of the research, interpretation of results, synthesizing and implementing findings, knowledge is generated and mobilized to improve the health of people and populations.

Research in Action

HELP’s faculty and affiliates lead research programs and labs that contribute to evidence-informed action in various fields and disciplines while engaging grassroots and government stakeholders. Their commitment to collaborative knowledge mobilization has contributed to changes in child care licensing, classroom practices, mental health promotion and beyond. Learn more about the HELP faculty’s Research in Action.

Data in Action

HELP is committed to knowledge mobilization that facilitates sharing data and research findings with the wider community in meaningful ways. This includes ensuring population-level data are publicly available in accessible formats, creating resources and tools to support interpretation and use, and building capacity toward data-informed planning and action. Learn more about HELP’s initiatives to move Data into Action.