Professional curiosity - learning briefing
What professional curiosity is and why it's important
Professional curiosity is exploring and not always accepting things at face value.
It's an important skill to fully understand a situation and the risks an individual may face. The risks are not always immediately obvious.
Professional curiosity involves:
- looking
- listening
- asking direct questions
- being able to hold difficult conversations.
Nurturing this skill is key to keeping adults safe from harm. This approach helps to identify abuse and neglect, which is less obvious. It can ensure that you gather the right information to assess needs and risks.
Developing skills in professional curiosity
Look
- When you meet with the adult or their family, is there anything about what you see that makes you feel uneasy or prompts questions?
- Do you see behaviours which indicate abuse or neglect, including coercion and control?
- Does what you see contradict or support what you are being told?
- How are family members interacting with each other and with you?
Listen
- Are you being told anything that needs further clarification?
- Is someone trying to tell you something?
- Are you concerned about what you hear family members say to each other?
- Is someone in the family trying to tell you something, but finding it difficult to express themselves or speak openly?
Make time and space to have a private conversation with an adult who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, or subject to coercion and control.
Ask
Research shows those who experience abuse, including coercion and control, want staff to ask direct questions. It is easier to respond to a direct question than offer information independently.
- I’ve noticed you have this injury. Is there anything going on for you which may have caused this?
- Do you feel frightened of anyone?
- Do you feel safe living here?
- Who makes decisions about what you can and cannot do?
- Some of the things you have told me today concern me. Is somebody hurting you or are you afraid someone might hurt you in the future?
Clarify
- Are other professionals involved? What information do they have?
- Have other professional seen the same as you?
- Are professionals being told the same or different things?
- Are others concerned? If so, what action did they take and is there anything else which you, or someone else, should or could do?
Holding difficult conversations
Tackling disagreements or hostility, raising concerns and giving information that someone may not want to hear is challenging and difficult.
The following tips can help in holding difficult conversations:
- Plan to ensure there will be time to cover essential elements of the conversation.
- Keep the agenda focused on the topics you need to discuss.
- Be clear and unambiguous.
- Have courage and focus on the needs of the adult at risk.
- Be non-confrontational and non-blaming.
- Stick to the facts and have evidence to back up what you say.
- Ensure decision-making is justifiable and transparent.
- Show empathy, consideration and compassion.
- Make sure your tone of voice, body language and what you say are consistent.
- Consider the adult’s needs for advocacy support.
