Human Early Learning Partnership
Human Early Learning Partnership is a UBC-based research organization operating a population-level Child Development Monitoring System across British Columbia using five validated instruments (EDI, CHEQ, MDI, TDI, YDI) to inform policy and practice for child well-being from infancy to age 18.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Human Early Learning Partnership does
The Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) is an interdisciplinary research organization based at the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health, headquartered in Vancouver on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. HELP operates the Child Development Monitoring System, which safely gathers population-level data about the developmental health and well-being of children and adolescents at multiple times between infancy and age 18. The system comprises five validated instruments: the Early Development Instrument (EDI) for kindergarten vulnerability assessment, the Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (CHEQ) for kindergarten entry experiences, the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) for middle childhood social-emotional health, the Transition Development Instrument (TDI), and the Youth Development Instrument (YDI). HELP's work is guided by an Aboriginal Steering Committee ensuring Indigenous-led research approaches and data sovereignty.
HELP serves government agencies, school districts, Indigenous communities, academic researchers, and families across British Columbia and Canada. The organization does not operate a commercial pricing model; research findings, reports, and resources are made publicly available. Funding flows through academic grants, government partnerships, and institutional support from UBC. Key partners include UBC, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Outdoor Play Canada, the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), Simon Fraser University's Children's Health Policy Centre, and international collaborators such as the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) and Queen's Maud University College (Norway). HELP disseminates research through its website, the EDI Data Dashboard, peer-reviewed publications, webinars, newsletters (HELP Reads, HELP Connect), and earned media coverage.
Under the leadership of Director Dr. Mariana Brussoni (since August 2021), HELP has documented record-high developmental vulnerability rates among BC kindergarteners post-COVID (37.3% on one or more EDI domains in Wave 9, 2022-2026), informing new policy priorities. The organization functions as an academic research institute offering a suite of child development monitoring instruments supported by a data dashboard, reporting system, and resources library, rather than as a commercial technology product company.
Human Early Learning Partnership firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Human Early Learning Partnership
- Legal name
- Human Early Learning Partnership
- Website
- https://earlylearning.ubc.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Human Early Learning Partnership is a UBC-based research organization operating a population-level Child Development Monitoring System across British Columbia using five validated instruments (EDI, CHEQ, MDI, TDI, YDI) to inform policy and practice for child well-being from infancy to age 18.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Human Early Learning Partnership industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Development Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assessment & Screening Tools (Developmental, Readiness, Progress Monitoring) (EDACAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Developmental Screening & Assessment (0–5) (EDACAFAA), SEL Screening, Assessment & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5) (EDACAOAI), Early Childhood & Child Development Policy Research (EDADADAJ)
Keywords
Where Human Early Learning Partnership is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Human Early Learning Partnership business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Human Early Learning Partnership product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HELP operates the Child Development Monitoring System, which gathers population-level data on the developmental health and well-being of children from infancy through age 18 across British Columbia. The system uses multiple validated instruments—EDI, CHEQ, MDI, TDI, and YDI—deployed in schools and homes to assess early childhood development, kindergarten transition experiences, middle childhood social-emotional health, and adolescent development. HELP translates this data into reports, dashboards, and peer-reviewed publications for use by government, schools, Indigenous communities, and academic researchers.
Product overview
HELP operates as a research institute offering a suite of child development monitoring instruments rather than a traditional software product. The core offerings include five assessment tools designed for different developmental stages: EDI (kindergarten teacher assessment), CHEQ (kindergarten parent-reported experiences), MDI (middle childhood self-report), TDI (transition monitoring), and YDI (youth development). These instruments are supported by a data dashboard, reporting system, and resources library. The organization functions as an academic research center at UBC, not a commercial technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Early Development Instrument (EDI)
Quantifiable outcome
- 37.3% of BC kindergarten children vulnerable on one or more EDI developmental domains (Wave 9, 2022-2026)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Human Early Learning Partnership
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Human Early Learning Partnership technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Human Early Learning Partnership partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of British ColumbiacoreHELP is based at UBC's School of Population and Public Health. The partnership provides institutional affiliation, faculty positions, research infrastructure, and academic credibility. HELP research is conducted by UBC faculty, students, and affiliates.
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research InstitutecoreHELP Director Mariana Brussoni is an investigator with BCCHR. This partnership provides clinical research connections and enhances child health research capabilities.
- Outdoor Play CanadacoreHELP faculty including Director Mariana Brussoni are founding members of Outdoor Play Canada's leadership group. Joint work focuses on promoting equitable access to outdoor play and child development research.
- British Columbia Injury Research & Prevention UnitminorHELP Director Mariana Brussoni served as Associate Director and maintains connections. Partnership in child injury prevention and outdoor play research.
- First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC)coreHELP aligns with FNIGC's First Nations Data Governance Strategy to strengthen First Nations institutions and support data sovereignty and community-level information governance in alignment with Indigenous worldviews.
- Aboriginal Steering Committee (ASC)coreAn advisory committee providing guidance on Indigenous research approaches, ensuring cultural appropriateness and alignment with Indigenous community priorities. Members are true movers and shakers driving change in their own work efforts.
- Simon Fraser University - Children's Health Policy CentrecoreDr. Nicole Catherine serves as Director of CHPC at SFU while maintaining affiliation with HELP. Collaborative research including the BC Healthy Connections Project.
- Karolinska Institute (Sweden)minorInternational research collaboration on child health, including studies on children of mothers with congenital heart disease.
- Queen's Maud University College (Norway)minorInternational collaboration on risky play research using virtual reality to study children's street-crossing decision making.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Human Early Learning Partnership competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Manitoba Centre for Health Policy: University of Manitoba-based population health data and policy research center. Comparable as a Canadian academic unit using administrative/population data to inform health policy, though broader in scope than HELP.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI): National pan-Canadian health data and reporting organization. Comparable as a population health evidence producer informing government policy, though operating at national scale and broader in mandate than HELP.
- UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti: UNICEF's research office producing global evidence on child well-being. Comparable as an academic-to-policy research hub on child development and equity, but operating globally rather than regionally.
Direct peers
- Telethon Kids Institute: Major Australian child health and development research institute covering population health, Indigenous child health, and translational research. Comparable scale and mission to HELP, including Indigenous community engagement.
- Offord Centre for Child Studies: McMaster University-based research center studying child development, mental health, and equity. Closely comparable to HELP as a Canadian academic research unit producing population-relevant evidence on early childhood outcomes.
- First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC): National Indigenous-led organization governing First Nations data and surveys (including the RHS and FS). Already a named HELP partner and the most direct peer for HELP's Indigenous-led data governance and population research work.
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute: Major paediatric research institute affiliated with the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, focused on child health, development, and population outcomes. Comparable scale and translational research mission to HELP.
- Center on the Developing Child (Harvard University): Harvard-based research center translating neuroscience and early childhood evidence into policy. Comparable to HELP as an academic-to-policy bridge focused on early child development and social determinants.
- Children's Health Policy Centre (Simon Fraser University): SFU-based policy research center led by Nicole Catherine (also affiliated with HELP). Direct peer on child health equity policy research and the BC Healthy Connections Project.
- Australian Early Development Census (AEDC): National population-level census of early childhood development in Australia that directly adapted the EDI instrument co-developed by HELP. Highly comparable as a teacher-reported, kindergarten-cohort population monitoring system.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Human Early Learning Partnership social profiles
Digital presenceHuman Early Learning Partnership financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Human Early Learning Partnership leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Human Early Learning Partnership funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Human Early Learning Partnership M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Human Early Learning Partnership
What does Human Early Learning Partnership do?
HELP operates the Child Development Monitoring System, which gathers population-level data on the developmental health and well-being of children from infancy through age 18 across British Columbia. The system uses multiple validated instruments—EDI, CHEQ, MDI, TDI, and YDI—deployed in schools and homes to assess early childhood development, kindergarten transition experiences, middle childhood social-emotional health, and adolescent development. HELP translates this data into reports, dashboards, and peer-reviewed publications for use by government, schools, Indigenous communities, and academic researchers.
Is Human Early Learning Partnership a public or private company?
Human Early Learning Partnership is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Human Early Learning Partnership founded?
Human Early Learning Partnership was founded in 2001. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Human Early Learning Partnership based?
Human Early Learning Partnership is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Human Early Learning Partnership's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Direct peers are Telethon Kids Institute, Offord Centre for Child Studies, First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Center on the Developing Child (Harvard University), Children's Health Policy Centre (Simon Fraser University) and Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).
Does Human Early Learning Partnership have an API?
No public API is recorded for Human Early Learning Partnership.
What industry is Human Early Learning Partnership in?
Human Early Learning Partnership's product category is Child Development Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAJAC, Assessment & Screening Tools (Developmental, Readiness, Progress Monitoring), with a secondary code of EDACAFAA, Developmental Screening & Assessment (0–5). Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8000.