A Think Family approach refers to the steps taken by practitioners to identify and respond to the wider family needs that extend beyond the individual they are supporting.

This means:

• Recognising that children and adults do not live in isolation
• Considering how the needs, strengths and risks of one family member impact others
• Working collaboratively across services to support the whole family
• Ensuring better outcomes by coordinating support and interventions across agencies

For example, professionals working with adults should consider the wellbeing and safety of any children in the household, and those working with children should consider the needs of parents, carers, and other adults.

Professional curiosity is a key safeguarding skill and complements the Think Family approach.

It is the capacity and communication skill to explore and understand what is happening within a family, rather than making assumptions or accepting things at face value.

This involves:

• Being open-minded and asking questions when something doesn’t feel right
• Looking beyond the surface and exploring the lived experience of children and families
• Listening carefully and seeking multiple perspectives
• Checking and triangulating information with other professionals
• Being willing to challenge respectfully and consider alternative explanations

Professional curiosity is sometimes described as ‘respectful uncertainty’, meaning practitioners remain open to new information and avoid forming fixed assumptions too quickly.

Learning from safeguarding reviews consistently shows that:

• Failing to consider the wider family context can lead to missed risks
• Lack of professional curiosity can result in assumptions and missed opportunities to intervene

Using both approaches together helps practitioners to:

• Build a full picture of risk and need across the family
• Identify hidden or less obvious safeguarding concerns
• Understand family dynamics and the impact on children, young people and adults
• Make informed, evidence-based decisions
• Provide earlier and more effective support

In practice, applying Think Family and Professional Curiosity means:

• Taking every opportunity to understand the whole family situation
• Asking questions and exploring concerns rather than accepting explanations at face value
• Working collaboratively with other professionals to share information
• Considering the voice, experience and safety of all family members
• Being open to challenge, reflection and review

By combining these approaches, practitioners can develop a deeper understanding of families and ensure that safeguarding responses are coordinated, informed and effective.

Professional Curiosity 7-Minute Briefing (PDF) – A concise briefing outlining what professional curiosity is, why it matters, and key learning from safeguarding reviews, including practical tips for practitioners.

The Importance of Being Curious – Produced by colleagues from across the region. This webinar covers why being curious is so important.