Noticing and encouraging ‘sparks’ of potential in others is the core business of social workers and educators. We will all have examples of how our own ‘sparks’ of interest, talent or enthusiasm were fanned into our flames of success. The importance of those key people, or moments , when our capabilities were recognised and we were given encouragement cannot be underestimated. Though I suspect we will have many more stories to tell about how our ‘sparks’ were put out by other