BETA This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it.

Section 5 of 6
Pathway 3: Expanding capacity

Expanding capacity

The 4 capabilities shown as 4 sections in a circle. Capability 4, which is expanding capacity, is highlighted.

Expanding capacity as a head of service 

A head of service who is effectively expanding capacity is focused on building team strengths, improving systems, and ensuring sustainability.  

The following are examples of what that might look like when you expand capacity in relation to:  

System improvements 

Conducting workflow reviews and implementing tools to streamline administrative tasks helps improve efficiency and allows staff to focus more on direct work with families. 

Collaborative problem-solving 

Holding cross-functional meetings and promoting open communication, encourages diverse perspectives, innovative solutions and continuous improvement in service delivery. 

Innovation and risk-taking

Encouraging calculated risks and allocating time for innovation helps your team explore new approaches and learn from failures, driving creative solutions to service challenges.

Resource advocacy

Advocating for resources and building relationships with leadership and stakeholders helps secure support needed to enhance team capacity and deliver high-quality services.

Over to you

Choose one of the following to focus on and spend 10 minutes responding to it.

  • How effectively am I assigning responsibilities to my team, and do I provide enough autonomy and support to enable staff to grow while handling complex challenges?
  • How do I ensure that resources — such as time, staffing, and funding — are being allocated strategically? What adjustments could I make to better align these resources with our service's priorities?
  • How often do I encourage my team to take calculated risks and try new approaches? How do I create a safe environment for innovation, even if it involves learning from failure?
  • How regularly do I engage in reflective practice both personally and with my team? How can I create more opportunities for critical reflection to improve decision-making and service delivery?

You can use the ‘Expanding capacity as a head of service’ section in your 4C leadership capability framework action plan for this activity.

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