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Framework of Developmental Assets

40 Elements of Healthy Development for Young People

There are 40 positive experiences and qualities that all of us have the power to bring into the lives of children and youth, which are called developmental assets. So what are these developmental assets? The assets provide a framework for action that encourages all individuals to Make a Difference, no matter who they are or what their lives are like.

The assets are spread across eight broad areas of human development. These categories paint a picture of the positive things all young people need to grow up healthy and responsible. You will find the Framework listing all 40 Developmental Assets attached. By helping children develop these assets, we are laying the foundation for many wonderful things to come.

Imagine for a moment what young people experience when they have many, many people and places in their lives all committed to nurturing and strengthening them by building assets: families that communicate and enjoy spending time together, supportive teachers and school staff who have worked diligently to protect rights and opportunities for all youth, and so on.

Experience has taught us that our asset-building power grows exponentially in this kind of environment. As we work together on behalf of your child, we ensure that they receive consistent messages and treatment, and we ourselves benefit because we connect with people who share our ideals, our vision, and our commitments.

40 Developmental Assets for Elementary-Age Children

Search Institute has identified a framework of 40 developmental assets for elementary-age children (ages 6 to 11) that blends Search Institute's research on developmental assets adolescents with research on healthy child development. www.search-institute.org

Asset Category	Asset Name	Asset Definition
External Assets
Support	1. Family support	Family life provides high levels of love and support.
	2. Positive family communication	Parents and children communicate positively. Children are willing to seek advice and counsel from their parents.
	3. Other adult relationships	Children have support from adults other than their parents.
	4. Caring neighborhood	Children experience caring neighbors.
	5. Caring out-of-home climate	School and other activities provide caring, encouraging environments for children.
	6. Parent involvement in out-of-home situations	Parents are actively involved in helping children succeed in school and in other situations outside the home.
Empowerment	7. Community values children	Children feel that the family and community value and appreciate children.
	8. Children are given useful roles	Children are included in age-appropriate family tasks and decisions and are given useful roles at home and in the community.
	9. Service to others	Children serve others in the community with their family or in other settings.
	10. Safety	Children are safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries and Expectations	11. Family boundaries	The family has clear rules and consequences and monitors children's activities and whereabouts.
	12. Out-of-home boundaries	Schools and other out-of-home environments provide clear rules and consequences.
	13. Neighborhood boundaries	Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring children's behavior.
	14. Adult role models	Parents and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
	15. Positive peer interaction and influence	Children interact with other children who model responsible behavior and have opportunities to play and interact in safe, well-supervised settings.
	16. Appropriate expectations for growth	Adults have realistic expectations for children's development at this age. Parents, caregivers, and other adults encourage children to achieve and develop their unique talents.
Constructive Use of Time	17. Creative activities	Children participate in music, art, drama, or other creative activities for at least three hours a week at home and elsewhere.
	18. Out-of-home activities	Children spend one hour or more each week in extracurricular school activities or structured community programs.
	19. Religious community	The family attends religious programs or services for at least one hour per week.
	20. Positive, supervised time at home	Children spend most evenings and weekends at home with their parents in predictable, enjoyable routines.
Internal Assets
Commitment to Learning	21. Achievement expectation and motivation	Children are motivated to do well in school and other activities.
	22. Children are engaged in learning	Children are responsive, attentive, and actively engaged in learning.
	23. Stimulating activity and homework	Parents and teachers encourage children to explore and engage in stimulating activities. Children do homework when it's assigned.
	24. Enjoyment of learning and bonding to school	Children enjoy learning and care about their school.
	25. Reading for pleasure	Children and an adult read together for at least 30 minutes a day. Children also enjoy reading or looking at books or magazines on their own.
Positive Values	26. Caring	Children are encouraged to help other people.
	27. Equality and social justice	Children begin to show interest in making the community a better place.
	28. Integrity	Children begin to act on their convictions and stand up for their beliefs.
	29. Honesty	Children begin to value honesty and act accordingly.
	30. Responsibility	Children begin to accept and take personal responsibility for age-appropriate tasks.
	31. Healthy lifestyle and sexual attitudes	Children begin to value good health habits and learn healthy sexual attitudes and beliefs as well as respect for others.
Social Competencies	32. Planning and decision making	Children begin to learn how to plan ahead and make choices at appropriate developmental levels.
	33. Interpersonal skills	Children interact with adults and children and can make friends. Children express and articulate feelings in appropriate ways and empathize with others.
	34. Cultural competence	Children know about and are comfortable with people of different cultural, racial, and/or ethnic backgrounds.
	35. Resistance skills	Children start developing the ability to resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
	36. Peaceful conflict resolution	Children try to resolve conflicts nonviolently.
Positive Identity	37. Personal power	Children begin to feel they have control over things that happen to them. They begin to manage frustrations and challenges in ways that have positive results for themselves and others.
	38. Self-esteem	Children report having high self-esteem.
	39. Sense of purpose	Children report that their lives have purpose and actively engage their skills.
	40. Positive view of personal future	Children are hopeful and positive about their personal future.

This list is an educational tool. It is not intended to be nor is it appropriate as a scientific measure of the developmental assets of individuals.