Collaborative Support for Developmental Practices

Asset Mapping Toolkit

Developmental practices are the dynamic supports young people need, in different ways and from different 

people, throughout their lives. Adults can learn these practices, and develop strategies for putting them in 

place, whenever and wherever they engage with young people.i

 

 

WHY FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENTAL PRACTICE?

How much are developmental practices actually 

codified and supported within the child- and youthfocused systems in your community? A wealth of 

science tells us the elements of practice depicted 

on the graphic are essential for development.ii By 

ensuring people have these supports, we optimize 

their ability to experience whatever it is we want 

them to experience. There are likely many policies, 

practices, procedures, and programs that your 

system or agency says should explicitly support 

these practices. There could also be mandates 

that your system/agency requires that seem 

counter to these practices. 

Why is it important to explore this question? 

Research has shown that if front-line staff and 

administrators do not get signals that they should 

proactively take specific actions in their work they 

will tend to be risk-averse or assume that the 

positive developmental practices that they are 

employing are actually exceptions to the 

institutional expectations.iii By reviewing our 

current operating procedures, policies and 

practices against the research of what makes a 

difference, we can work together to ensure that 

every young person is receiving the most effective 

services, supports and opportunities possible.

DEVELOPMENTAL PRACTICES ASSET MAPPING 

On behalf of the Interagency Working Group on 

Youth Programs, the Forum for Youth Investment 

piloted an asset mapping toolkit and technical 

assistance process designed to support crosssystem conversations about how to improve 

approaches and practices of the staff that work 

directly with youth across the multitude of places 

where young people spend their time. The asset 

map can be completed through a combination of 

questionnaires, group facilitation, interviews, and a 

document review. The Forum works with each 

collaborative leader upfront to design an effective 

and streamlined process for engaging partners in

this scan.

Five Non-Negotiables for Whole Child Design

Turnaround for Children, Science of Learning and Development Alliance

The five elements above provide the framing for 

this asset map. 

The latest in the science of learning and 

development affirms that learning is optimized 

when it starts with strong relationships in 

environments filled with safety and belonging. In 

these contexts, children and youth can then fully 

engage in challenging experiences and 

opportunities. Optimal learning and 

engagement also requires personalization –

individualized supports – that take into account 

a young person’s specific needs. Intentional 

development of skills, mindsets and habits can 

be best maximized when these other 

components are in place.

For more information, or for coaching and technical 

assistance around using, interpreting, and applying 

this toolkit, contact the Forum for Youth Investment at 

info@forumfyi.org
 

How to Use this Toolkit

The asset map can be completed through a combination of questionnaires, group facilitation, interviews, and a 

document review.

Who Should Use this Toolkit and Process?

The key to a successful asset mapping process is working through an established cross-system leadership group, 

such as children’s cabinets, cradle-to-career initiatives, systems of care efforts, or coordinating boards. A 

commitment from such a leadership group provides for better access to top leadership in systems and agencies 

and sets up the opportunity for cross system learning and leveraging. This provides access to a wide spectrum of 

stakeholder perspectives and cross system learning about how requirements may vary in their impact on youth.

Tip: This mapping process is most useful when it is defined in support of other existing or planned efforts rather

than as a standalone exercise.

Getting Started

Identify a facilitator to lead the process and nominate a small core team representing the cross system 

leadership group to work with the facilitator and manage the process. 

Provide a rationale for this process to those that are invited to participate. Consider:

• it is an opportunity to validate and reinforce their commitment to best operationalizing the science 

beyond just evidence-based programs. 

• it can support their ability to reflect on both the official practices and the informal implementation of 

those practices both internally with staff as well as with cross system partners.

Hold a Kickoff Event

This kickoff event would be the opportunity

• to share the science of positive youth development to establish the basis for the work,

• to focus on the impact adults across all systems and agencies have on development,

• to highlight the value adult practices have in interactions with youth, and

• to outline the process for reviewing how official practices prohibit or incentivize developmental practices. 

Use the Tools

COMPONENT PURPOSE PROCESS INFORMANT(S) 

A. Definitions of 

Practices

[Definitions of 

Developmental 

Practices. How 

Important? How Well 

Practiced?]

Build understanding of the 

definitions of developmental practice 

used as the basis for this scan.

Gather key leader perceptions 

regarding how important these 

practices are and how much they are 

practiced within each 

system/agency.

Complete and return 

in advance of 

interview, either 

individually or during 

kickoff event

□ Top level leader of 

system or agency

□ Knowledgeable 

management staff

B. Document Review 

 

Identification of documents that 

articulate key policies, procedures,

and practices; identifying, where 

possible, who is defining these 

practices; and specifying the 

controlling policy level 

Complete and return 

in advance of 

interview, if 

possible. Add to 

interview as needed

□ Top level leader of 

system or agency

□ Knowledgeable 

management staff

B. Interview

 

What supports and mechanisms are 

currently in place to support practice 

improvement? How much do they 

support or incentivize the use of 

developmental practices?

Scheduled Interview □ Top level leader of 

system or agency

□ Knowledgeable 

management staff 

(or team)
 

Definitions of Developmental Practice: How Important? How Much Practiced?

How much are developmental practices actually codified and supported within the child- and 

youth-focused systems in your community? A wealth of science tells us these elements of practice 

are essential for development. iv By ensuring people have these supports, we optimize their ability 

to experience whatever it is we want them to experience. There are likely many policies, practices, 

procedures and programs that your system or agency says should explicitly support these 

practices. There could also be mandates that your system/agency requires that seem counter to 

these practices. This questionnaire is designed as a first step in a conversation with your 

colleagues and counterparts about how you are defining and supporting developmental practices.

Name: ________________________________ System/Agency: ______________________________________

Instructions: Using the columns on the right, please rate each of the below categories 

from 1 (low) to 5 (high) on how important you feel it is and how well it is currently being 

practiced across your agency/system. v

HOW IMPORTANT? 

1 (LOW) – 5 (HIGH)

HOW MUCH 

PRACTICED?

1 (LOW) – 5 (HIGH)

POSITIVE 

DEVELOPMENTAL

RELATION-SHIPS

Relational trust and respect between and among staff, young people, and parents.

Structures that allow for continuity in relationships, thereby reducing anxiety and 

supporting engaged learning.

ENVIRONMENTS FILLED 

WITH SAFETY &

BELONGING

A caring, culturally responsive learning community, where young people are well

known and valued and can learn in physical and emotional safety.

Structures that allow for consistency in practices and predictability in routines

that reduce anxiety and support engaged learning.

RICH INSTRUCTIONAL

EXPERIENCES

Meaningful work that builds on young people’s prior knowledge and experiences 

and actively engages them in rich, engaging tasks that help them achieve conceptual 

understanding and transferable knowledge and skills.

Inquiry as a major learning strategy, thoughtfully interwoven with explicit 

instruction and well-scaffolded opportunities to practice and apply learning.

Well-designed collaborative learning opportunities that encourage young people

to question, explain, and elaborate their thoughts and co-construct solutions.

Ongoing diagnostic assessments and opportunities to receive timely and helpful 

feedback, develop and exhibit competence, and revise work to improve.

Opportunities to develop metacognitive skills through planning and management 

of complex tasks, self- and peer- assessment, and reflection on learning.

INDIVIDUALIZ ED 

SUPPORTS

Ongoing diagnostic assessments to identify barriers to learning and development. 

Access to integrated services (including physical and mental health and social 

service supports) that enable healthy development.

Access to learning opportunities that nurture positive relationships, support 

enrichment and mastery learning, and close achievement gaps.

INTENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

OF CRITICAL SKILLS, 

MINDSETS & HABITS

Explicit instruction in social, emotional, and cognitive skills, such as 

intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and good decisionmaking.

Infusion of opportunities to learn and use social emotional skills, habits, 

mindsets throughout all aspects of their work.

Educative and restorative approaches to group management and discipline, so 

that children and youth learn responsibility for themselves and their community.vi

Turnaround for Children, Science of Learning 

and Development Alliance

QUESTIONNAIRE
Document Review: Where are developmental practices articulated and codified?

In reflecting on the types of practices discussed in the Definitions of Developmental Practice questionnaire, please identify the 

specific documents or resources that articulate practices, procedures or policies that align with or run counter to these 

developmental practices. If possible, please identify the specific places within these documents that speak to these practices, 

procedures or policies. Collecting this information will allow for a cross-systems look at how the different system/agency 

practices, procedures and policies compare. See Document Review Rubric for the framing that will be used to capture the 

detail and produce a high-level summary.

Document type Guidance/Examples Document List

Note relevant page numbers

Level of 

Jurisdiction

Federal, State, 

County, City, 

Agency

Statutes or Laws • Federal, state, county or city statutes or laws 

(e.g., laws or statutes that govern treatment for 

substance-use disorders, labor laws that 

dictate hours worked or access for people with 

disabilities to workforce programs)

Administrative 

Rules 

Policy Directives

• An administrative rule adopted by an agency 

to make the law it enforces or administers 

more specific or to govern the agency's 

procedures

• External policy statements that clarify or 

amplify existing procedures (e.g., policies 

managing attendance, discipline, credit)

Procedures

Manuals

Bulletins

• An official way of doing something, established 

through manuals, guidance documents, or 

other official documentation (e.g., procedures, 

practice guidance or manuals on making 

placement decisions in court, case 

documentation)

• Bulletins or announcements emphasizing best 

practices 

Licensing 

Requirements 

Standards

Certifications

• A set of defined practices that grant 

permission or permit an official capacity or 

denote a level of quality attainment (e.g., 

licensing, certification, or approval 

requirements for foster parents; quality 

standards for afterschool programs or 

childcare facilities; staffing qualifications or 

training requirements)

Grant Guidelines

or Proposals

Requests for 

Proposals

• Grant-making guidelines (funds you are 

distributing)

• Major grant applications (your submissions)

(e.g., WIOA plan)

Plans & 

Recommendations

• Detailed outlines or proposals for 

accomplishing a certain goal, that may or may 

not be mandated (e.g., early childhood equity 

plan; youth master plan; task force 

recommendations)vii
Interview: Overview of Interview Parts

The following questions should focus specifically on System/Agency assets related to the promotion of developmental 

practices as defined and discussed in Definitions of Developmental Practice questionnaire.

Part One: A discussion of perceptions of developmental practice [see rubric] 

• Review of scaled responses on Definitions of Developmental Practice questionnaire

• Clarifying questions on documents

• Discussion of perceptions around how much the system is promoting or constraining the 5 components of optimized 

development and learning: strong relationships; environments filled with safety and belonging; rich instructional 

experiences; individualized supports; intentional development of critical skills, mindsets, and habits

Part Two: A discussion of the landscape of supports for development practice [see scaled response worksheet next page] 

Vision & Frameworks 

1. Has your System/Agency explicitly incorporated a developmental approach into its vision, goals and/or strategic plan?

2. Has your System/Agency adopted a developmental framework, standards, or approach? To what extent are they used 

by your practitioners/programs?

3. How often do you engage with staff, young people, and parents in discussions about developmental standards, 

practices, approaches? 

Professional Learning and Development 

4. How often do staff, regardless of role, from different parts of the System/Agency meet to discuss plans or progress 

related to promoting these developmental practices or to receive joint professional development?

5. How is data used in these professional development efforts? What data? 

6. Does your System/Agency provide ongoing coaching support for implementation of developmental practices? Who 

receives coaching?

Evidence & Assessment 

7. If relevant (see #2), what is the evidence base that supports your standards of practice?

8. If relevant (see #2) does your System/Agency have a mechanism such as an aligned assessment tool to measure 

performance against developmental standards?

Continuous Improvement 

9. How does the System/Agency collect data on quality across providers/programs? What data is collected? Is it 

uniform?

10. To what extent does the System/Agency examine and reflect on quality data and use it to inform developmental 

practices, procedures or policies?

11. How often do improvement plans include actions to enhance developmental practices? Do both the System/Agency 

and its component parts (e.g., schools, sites, programs) have improvement plans that include action to enhance 

developmental practices?

Resources & Alignment 

12. To what extent does your System/Agency budget support activities that promote developmental practices across all 

areas of delivery/instruction/programming/services?

Part Three: Reflection Questions 

13. Feedback from direct service staff: Do direct service staff ever point out any areas that are concerning? Or areas that 

are particular strengths?

14. Challenges & opportunities for improvement: What issues do you struggle with when it comes to delivering upon your 

vision of “high quality” across your System/Agency? What barriers get in the way? What are opportunities you see for 

improvement?

15. Strengths & opportunities for scale: What do you see as particular strengths of your System/Agency when it comes to 

promoting these developmental practices? How do you see building on these strengths so that more children and 

youth benefit? 

16. Partnerships: Given the challenges and strengths you’ve discussed, what opportunities do you see for partnering or 

aligning with other systems? To what extent does your partnership or community have a shared, articulated vision that 

could be a foundation for joint work in this area?
Interview Part Two: What is the broader landscape for supporting developmental practices? The following questions should focus specifically on System/Agency assets related to the promotion of developmental practices as discussed in the Definitions of 

Developmental Practice questionnaire.

Questions & Indicators Score Supporting Evidence/Anecdotes

Vision & Frameworks

1. Has the System/Agency explicitly incorporated a developmental approach into its visions, goals and/or strategic plan?

1 The System/Agency has not 

incorporated a developmental approach 

into its vision, goals, or strategic plan.

3 The System/Agency has explicitly 

incorporated a developmental approach 

into one of the following: its vision, goals, 

or strategic plan.

5 The System/Agency has explicitly 

incorporated a developmental approach 

into its vision, goals, and strategic plan.

2. Has your System/Agency adopted a developmental framework, standards, or approach? To what extent are they used by your practitioners/programs?

1 The System/Agency has not adopted a 

developmental framework, standards or 

approach.

3 The System/Agency has adopted a 

developmental framework, standards or 

approach.

5 The System/Agency has adopted a 

developmental framework, standards 

and approach.

3. How often do you engage with staff, young people and parents in discussions about developmental standards, practices, approaches? 

1 The System/Agency has not created 

opportunities to involve stakeholders 

(families, youth, community) in 

developing shared language, 

understanding, and ownership for 

prioritizing developmental experiences 

for all children/youth.

3 The System/Agency has created 

opportunities to involve some

stakeholders (families, youth, 

community) in developing shared 

language, understanding, and ownership 

for prioritizing developmental 

experiences for all children/youth.

5 The System/Agency has created 

opportunities to involve multiple

stakeholders (families, youth, 

community) in developing shared 

language, understanding, and ownership 

for prioritizing developmental 

experiences for all children/youth.

Professional Learning and Development

4. How often do staff, regardless of role, from different parts of the System/Agency meet to discuss plans or progress related to promoting these developmental practices or to receive joint 

professional development?

1 Meetings or trainings happen 

informally and are not focused on 

developmental practices.

3 Meetings or trainings occur but only 

occasionally or most staff do not 

participate.

5 Staff meet to discuss plans or progress 

related to developmental practices or to 

receive developmental-focused 

professional development at least 

several times per year, and most staff

participate.

5. How is data used in these professional development efforts? What data?

1 Data is not used in professional 

development efforts.

3 Data is used in some professional 

developmental efforts.

5 Data is used in all professional 

developmental efforts.

6. Does your System/Agency provide ongoing coaching support for implementation of developmental practices? Who receives coaching?

1 The System/Agency does not provide 

ongoing coaching support for the 

implementation of developmental 

practices.

3 The System/Agency provides ongoing 

coaching support for the implementation 

of developmental practices for some 

staff.

5 The System/Agency provides ongoing 

coaching support for the implementation 

of developmental practices for all staff.
Anchored Interview Questions – Continued – Page 2

Questions & Indicators Score Supporting Evidence/Anecdotes

Evidence & Assessment

7. If relevant (see #2), what is the evidence base that supports your developmental standards, practices, or approaches?

1 No evidence base has been identified 

to support the standards, practices, or 

approaches.

3 An identified evidence base supports 

some but not all of the standards, 

practices, or approaches.

5 A documented evidence base supports 

the standards, practices, or approaches 

(e.g., literature review, research, etc.).

8. If relevant (see #2), does your System/Agency have a mechanism such as an aligned assessment tool to measure performance against developmental standards?

1 The System/Agency does not 

developmental standards available.

3 The System/Agency has standards 

available but there is no way to assess 

against the standards.

5 The System/Agency has a common set 

of standards for developmental practices 

and has an aligned assessment tool.

Continuous Improvement

9. How does the System/Agency collect data on quality across staff/units/programs? What data is collected? Is it uniform?

1 The System/Agency does not collect 

data on quality across 

staff/units/programs.

3 The System/Agency collects data on 

quality across some staff/units/programs

but not all or it is not uniform.

5 The System/Agency collects data on 

quality across all staff/units/programs 

and it is uniform.

10. To what extent does the System/Agency examine and reflect on quality data and use it to inform developmental practices, procedures or policies?

1 The System/Agency staff does not 

reflect on quality data from the sites.

3 The System/Agency staff reflect to 

some degree on these data, but not to 

inform developmental practices, 

procedures or policies.

5 The System/Agency staff reflect on 

these data to inform developmental 

practices, procedures or policies.

11. How often do improvement plans include actions to enhance developmental practices? Do both the System/Agency and its component parts (e.g., schools, sites, programs) have improvement 

plans that include action to enhance developmental practices?

1 Any improvement plans do not include 

actions to enhance developmental 

practices.

3 Some improvement plans include 

actions to enhance developmental 

practices.

5 The System/Agency improvement plan 

and all component part improvement 

plans include actions to enhance 

developmental practices.

Resources & Alignment

12. To what extent does your System/Agency budget support activities that promote developmental practices across all areas of delivery/instruction/programming/services?

1 The System/Agency does not support 

developmental practices work with 

funding and resources.

3 The System/Agency manages and 

coordinates a budget, staff and other 

resources to support a long-term plan to 

sustain and improve developmental 

practices across areas of delivery but the 

budget and the resources are 

inadequate.

5 The System/Agency manages and 

coordinates a budget, staff and other 

resources to support a long-term plan to 

sustain and improve developmental 

practices across areas of delivery.viii
Copyright © 2016 The Forum for Youth Investment. All Rights Reserved.

Rubric: To what extent do official practices support or constrain developmental 

practice? 

Directions for Use with Document Review: Insert specific language from the documents or into the corresponding cell that 

signals where on the scale of prohibitive to incentivizing the official practice falls.

Directions for Use with Interview: Notate the interviewees perception of practices by place a checkmark or recording relevant

notes in the appropriate column for each row. ix POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL RELATION-SHIPS

Relational trust and respect between and among staff, young people, and parents.

Structures that allow for continuity in relationships, thereby reducing anxiety and 

supporting engaged learning.

ENVIRONMENTS FILLED 

WITH SAFETY &

BELONGING

A caring, culturally responsive learning community, where young people are well

known and valued and can learn in physical and emotional safety.

Structures that allow for consistency in practices and predictability in routines

that reduce anxiety and support engaged learning.

RICH INSTRUCTIONAL

EXPERIENCES

Meaningful work that builds on young people’s prior knowledge and experiences 

and actively engages them in rich, engaging tasks that help them achieve conceptual 

understanding and transferable knowledge and skills.

Inquiry as a major learning strategy, thoughtfully interwoven with explicit 

instruction and well-scaffolded opportunities to practice and apply learning.

Well-designed collaborative learning opportunities that encourage young people

to question, explain, and elaborate their thoughts and co-construct solutions.

Ongoing diagnostic assessments and opportunities to receive timely and helpful 

feedback, develop and exhibit competence, and revise work to improve.

Opportunities to develop metacognitive skills through planning and management 

of complex tasks, self- and peer- assessment, and reflection on learning.

INDIVIDUALIZ ED 

SUPPORTS

Ongoing diagnostic assessments to identify barriers to learning and development. 

Access to integrated services (including physical and mental health and social 

service supports) that enable healthy development.

Access to learning opportunities that nurture positive relationships, support 

enrichment and mastery learning, and close achievement gaps.

INTENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

OF CRITICAL SKILLS, 

MINDSETS & HABITS

Explicit instruction in social, emotional, and cognitive skills, such as 

intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and good decisionmaking.

Infusion of opportunities to learn and use social emotional skills, habits, 

mindsets throughout all aspects of their work.

Educative and restorative approaches to group management and discipline, so 

that children and youth learn responsibility for themselves and their community. x

Prohibitive policies and 

practices. Limit or cut-off 

opportunities to foster 

youth readiness. 

Not Prohibitive policies 

and practices. Do not 

actively prohibit or 

promote youth 

readiness.

Promotional policies and 

practices. Encourage 

opportunities and 

pathways to promote 

youth readiness.

Incentivizing policies and 

practices. Enable the 

promotion of youth 

readiness through 

funding and other 

incentives.
i Stephanie Malia Krauss, Karen Pittman, and Caitlin Johnson; The Forum for Youth Investment (2016) Ready by 

Design: The Science (and Art) of Youth Readiness.

ii Linda Darling-Hammond, Lisa Flook, Channa Cook-Harvey, Brigid Barron & David Osher (2020) Implications for 

educational practice of the science of learning and development, Applied Developmental Science, 24:2, 97-140.

iii The Forum for Youth Investment (2014) Collective Impact for Policymakers: Working Together for Children and 

Youth. https://forumfyi.org/knowledge-center/collective-impact-for-policymakers/

iv Krauss, Pittman, Johnson. Ready by Design: The Science (and Art) of Youth Readiness.

v The Forum for Youth Investment (2006) Change Horsepower Diagnostic. https://forumfyi.org/knowledgecenter/change-horsepower-diagnostic/

vi Darling-Hammond, Flook, Cook-Harvey, Barron, Osher. Implications for Educational Practice of the Science of 

Learning and Development.

vii The Forum for Youth Investment (2006) Document Review Rubric. 

viii The Forum for Youth Investment (2017). The Wallace Foundation’s Partnerships for Social Emotional Learning 

Initiative, Social Emotional Learning Inventory.

ix The Forum for Youth Investment. Change Horsepower Diagnostic.

x Darling-Hammond, Flook, Cook-Harvey, Barron, Osher. Implications for Educational Practice of the Science of 

Learning and Development.