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Section 2 of 6
Pathway 1: Maintaining curiosity

Maintaining curiosity

The 4 capabilities shown as 4 sections in a circle. Capability 1 which is maintaining curiosity, is highlighted.

Maintaining curiosity as a practice supervisor

What does a practice supervisor who has really developed their ability to maintain curiosity and see the benefit of it in their work look like? 

A practice supervisor who is maintaining curiosity behaves in a way that reflects their ongoing commitment to understanding themselves, their team, and the context in which they work.

The next section sets out examples of how you can maintain curiosity.

Values and moral purpose

Consistently reflecting on your personal motivations, values, and moral purpose, ensuring your decisions align with the best interests of children and families. Openly discussing your values with your team sets an example of integrity and purpose-driven leadership.

Biases and prejudices

Actively identifying and managing your own biases and emotional triggers creates a safe, non-judgmental space for others and promotes anti-oppressive practices within your team. Being committed to self-improvement means continuously challenging any unconscious biases you discover.

Workforce

Engaging regularly with your team members helps you understand their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations while creating opportunities for feedback. Offering constructive challenges and encouraging a supportive, strengths-based environment encourages accountability and growth.

Partners

Building and maintaining strong partnerships with external organisations helps you share best practices, engage in multi-agency audits, and stay informed on social care developments. Focusing on improving collaboration enhances the quality and effectiveness of the services you provide.

These behaviours ensure that as supervisors, you remain reflective, inclusive, and focused on continuous improvement for the benefit of children, families, and their team. 

Over to you

Take 5 minutes to reflect on these behaviours and respond to these questions.

  • Where are you strongest and why?
  • Which do you think you most need to develop?
  • What are some actionable steps you could take to do so?

You can use the ‘Maintaining curiosity as a practice supervisor’ section in your 4C leadership capability framework action plan for this activity.

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The resources have been developed by Frontline in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 30 January 2025
Last updated: 30 January 2025