On 21 November 2011 we launched professional boundaries guidance for social workers and social work students. Following the continual monitoring of cases that result in social workers appearing at conduct hearings, we found one issue that frequently resulted in such appearances has been social workers breaching professional boundaries.
To help us decide what we could best do to help address this issue we commissioned two pieces of research, one involving focus groups with service users and one involving a review of available literature on this subject. The key messages from these research reports were, firstly, the considerable harm that professional boundaries violations can have on service users and, secondly, the inadvisability of attempting to address this problem through issuing a list of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’.
In light of this research, we developed professional boundaries guidance that would be of practical use to social workers. In developing this guidance we have worked closely with some key individuals and organisations in the sector, and have held focus groups with social workers and social workers’ managers.
The guidance is based around actual case examples where misconduct has been proved. The case examples are used as starting points for reflection around professional boundaries issues.
A good definition of the term ‘professional boundary’ is that it is the “boundary between what is acceptable and unacceptable for a professional both at work and outside work” (Professional Boundaries Research Report, Sheffield Hallam University). The emphasis here should be placed on the word professional: some behaviour will always be unacceptable whether or not an individual is a professional. Professional boundaries, though, concern behaviour that is acceptable or unacceptable in light of the fact that an individual is a professional.
The guidance has been designed as an aid to reflection for social workers to appropriately manage professional boundaries issues. Whilst it has been designed for social workers to use on their own, it is also intended that the case examples could provide useful points for reflection and discussion in supervision or in team meetings. The guidance is intended to support social workers to meet the standards set by the regulator, rather than to add any new responsibilities.
We also have a new online self-assessment tool which complements the guidance by providing hypothetical examples of possible professional boundaries dilemmas. Rather than giving a prescriptive “right” answer, you are given the opportunity to compare your answers with those of your peers and are directed to appropriate parts of the GSCC’s codes of practice for further guidance.
You can read the guidance and the research reports that form the background to it, our press releases, coverage in the Guardian and blogs, as well as using the interactive tool all on our main website, within the dedicated professional boundaries section.
