Sorry to talk about September already, but as schools and settings welcome children back this September, safeguarding rightly sits high on the agenda. New policies are shared, updated training is delivered, and the statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 guidance is available.
But amidst the checklists and compliance tasks, there’s one safeguarding question that should be guiding every adult’s daily practice:
“What does this child need me to notice?”
This simple, reflective question underpins the heart of safeguarding and that’s what we mean by professional curiosity. It moves us beyond procedures and towards truly knowing our children, recognising when something isn’t quite right, and taking action to protect their wellbeing.
Why This Question Matters
We all know safeguarding is not a tick-box exercise. It’s a culture. A way of working. A shared responsibility that starts with noticing the small things. There have been times when it has felt like a tick box, when safeguarding training consisted of the same PowerPoint presentation every 3 years and that was it! Or the decades where all we spoke of was ‘stranger danger’.
KCSIE 2025 continues to highlight the importance of professional curiosity and the ability and willingness to explore beyond the surface, question what is seen or heard, and avoid making assumptions.
Children rarely make formal disclosures in neat and obvious ways. More often, it’s a shift in behaviour, a pattern of lateness, a child who no longer smiles, or a lunchbox that suddenly looks sparse. These are the moments where professional curiosity matters most. It is important that ALL who work with children understand these important signs to look out for.
What Does Professional Curiosity Look Like in Practice?
Professional curiosity means:
- Asking questions when something doesn’t feel right, even if it seems small
- Noticing changes in mood, appearance, friendships or attendance
- Challenging explanations when they don’t add up or feel rehearsed
- Speaking up – even if you’re unsure
- Keeping safeguarding alive in every role – whether you’re teaching, cleaning, supporting, or leading
- always thinking, ‘what if I’m right?’ Not worrying about ‘what if I’m wrong?’
Embedding a Noticing Culture in Your Setting
This September, encourage all staff to adopt this question as a mindset:
“What does this child need me to notice?”
I have experienced disclosures throughout my career, I’ve noticed concerns, and sadly will have undoubtedly missed signs. All we can do is continue to strive to learn all the different ways we can support children and strive to notice and take action to protect them.
Here are three ways to embed it into your school or college culture:
- Introduce it in your INSET training as a reflective prompt
- Use it in weekly safeguarding briefings or DSL drop-ins
- Include it in staff supervision or pastoral meetings as a discussion starter
When this becomes a habit, safeguarding becomes part of the everyday and not just something we remember in training, but something we live out in practice.
Final Thoughts
Children don’t always have the words to tell us when something is wrong. But they often show us, in small, subtle, and easily missed ways. That’s why noticing is such a powerful safeguarding act.
This September, let’s all commit to asking:
“What does this child need me to notice?”
It’s a small shift in thinking, but it could make a life-changing difference.
For safeguarding training, supervision, or support with implementing a culture of professional curiosity in your setting, get in touch with our team today.
