Managing professional boundaries: What would you do?
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should be aware of the potential implications of crossing boundaries and how to make careful decisions in complicated situations.
Good social work practice depends on the development and maintenance of tight, well-managed personal and professional boundaries. Some boundaries are codified in codes of practice and organisational policies and some generally understood best practice. You should research your employer's policies, procedures and codes of conduct as well as those of relevant professional bodies. Inevitably though, you may be confronted by complex situations where you are in danger of crossing boundaries.
This activity presents four different scenarios. Consider each one and respond accordingly to the question at the end of each case study. There is no wrong or right answer as different circumstances will change how you deal with situations. You might wish to discuss your views with other students or your practice educator or lecturer and to listen to other arguments. When you select an answer, feedback will be provided that will reflect the issues at hand.
Scenario 1
You have been working for a couple of years with John, a single father, supporting him in his home with his children who have been on the At Risk register, and in relation to his depression following the death of his wife and getting back to work. There have been many agencies involved but you have been the one constant throughout. He meets a new partner and they get engaged. His fiancee seems to be a good stabilising influence and there are no longer concerns about the children. You are invited to the wedding. He says that you must come and he won't take no for an answer. Clients who work with other workers on your team have also been invited.
Do you accept John's invitation and go to the wedding?
This is a dangerous and potentially boundary crossing situation. You will be going to an unboundaried and purely social event with a number of clients of your agency. There are some difficult situations that could arise and a number of mixed messages that it could send out to the community, to the other clients and to John.
This is probably a time when you should start drawing back from the relationship with John. He is clearly showing signs that he sees you as an important part of his life and this could indicate that the relationship is becoming slightly unprofessional. The questions that you need to ask yourself are: Would you go to the wedding of all your clients? What are your reasons for going - do you want to go to get the satisfaction of seeing the fruition of a long process? If so, then this is about your needs, not John's.
If you felt there was some compelling reason to attend, then it should be done only in consultation with your line manager. The safest way to attend would be with another member of staff, to attend the ceremony, stand at the back and slip away after the ceremony and before any drinking and socialising begins.
You are right to treat this as a dangerous and potentially boundary crossing situation. Going to an unboundaried and purely social event with a number of clients of your agency could give rise to some difficult situations and send out a number of mixed messages to the community, to the other clients and to John.
Overall, there are a number of good reasons not to go to the wedding, and saying 'no' is a very safe, professional and boundaried response. Given that you are coming towards the end of the relationship with John, it does not matter so much if he is offended by you not coming, and it is quite possible to make a number of reasonable excuses not to come
The best way to handle the refusal is to show appreciation of his good wishes but be assertive about the reasons you should not come. You can explain that you have a professional relationship and that it is important for your sake and his sake that it remains professional.
Scenario 2
You meet up with your family to celebrate your grandmother's birthday in a pub or restaurant. There is a large group of your family. Just as you are getting settled you see that one of your clients is at the other side of the bar with some friends. Your client is being loud and sociable and seems intoxicated.
Do you stay at the venue?
Staying in the venue could lead to many problems, particularly if you are intending to drink alcohol. Most organisations will have a policy stating that you should leave the venue. You are not able to identify the client to your family due to confidentiality. However, by spending social time in a public place with an intoxicated client you are leaving yourself open to many difficult situations arising. For example, even if you are trying to ignore your client, you could bump into each other in the toilets (and then you could be alone with an intoxicated client). There is also obvious potential for unintended self-disclosure due to the situation, and scope for interaction between you, the client and your family.
If you really feel that you cannot leave the venue, then you should stay sober and consider having a brief word with the client if you can do so discreetly to lay out some boundaries with the client.
If you live in a small or isolated town or village, you may regularly bump into clients in various situations and so you may have to learn to manage this kind of situation.
Leaving the venue as soon as it is practically possible is the best possible action. There are many problems that could arise from spending time in a venue with one of your current clients. It might be difficult for you to leave the venue with all of your family, or to leave on your own, but it is the safest approach to take. You are not able to identify the client to your family due to confidentiality but this could prove more of a problem if you stay than if you leave right away.
Scenario 3
Your client notices a book that you have been reading on self-development and the client would benefit from reading it. You have finished reading the book and are happy to give it away.
Do you give or lend the book to the client?
Giving or lending the book to the client is outside of your boundaries and could cause a number of problems. By doing so you are doing something for the client that you have not done, and might not do, for other clients and this may set up a 'special relationship' between you and the client, either in reality, in their mind or in the minds of other clients. This could lead to unrealistic expectations on the part of the client and dependency or resentment from other clients. If you lend the book and the client loses the book or forgets to bring it with them it may lead to disengagement from the sessions or some sort of resentment or ill feeling between the two of you, even if you do not care for the book.
If you really think that they would benefit from a copy, then, if appropriate, donate the book (plus others) to the project to be used by all clients and/or workers, or photocopy a few short sections of it for them and other clients.
Instead of giving or lending the book to your client you could suggest that they go to the library to get themselves a copy. This is by far the safest way to manage the situation as it saves many complicated situations arising for you, for the client, and in the minds of other clients (see answer 3a for full details).
However, you could consider more creative ways to meet the client's needs while remaining boundaried. You could donate the book (plus others) to the project to be used by all clients and/or workers, or photocopy a few short sections for them and other clients.
Scenario 4
Anita, one of your clients, makes no progress towards the goals that you have set together, and when you get together the client blames you for her failures. She repeatedly misses sessions and if challenged on this gets angry with you. She bad mouths you to other service users and to staff at another organisation. Despite this you work hard to try and achieve something with her as she is very vulnerable.
One day there is an incident where she is accused of attacking another client outside your offices. When your manager speaks to her and the police, she blames you for failing to support her and for upsetting her in the session that you have just had. You are quite sure that you have worked hard and professionally for her and have done things to the best of your ability.
Do you react emotionally? Do you feel angry, sad, frustrated or depressed?
There is no correct answer to this question. We are all human and have feelings. It is often hard, working with vulnerable people who have a lot of issues to work through, and it may bring up all sorts of emotions for you. What you feel is not important; how you act is what counts.
It is important that you remain calm and professional at all times when dealing with Anita and you must put aside your feelings when making decisions about her case. If you find that your feelings about Anita are becoming difficult to manage, then you should get some support from your line manager or supervisor. If you really cannot manage the feelings, then you need some further support in dealing with Anita.
It is quite all right to point out to Anita her responsibility in the situation and to help her see the part that she plays in things. However, this should be done in a professional manner as part of your key working strategy.
If handled carefully and calmly, and after consulting with your line manager or supervisor, it is possible to explain how frustrating her behaviour is to work with, and to use this as a platform to work with her. However, this could only be done once you have processed your feelings on the situation so that you are sure you are on top of them.
There is no correct answer to this question. Ultimately, how you act is what counts. However, it is important to pay attention to your feelings.
It may be that you are sufficiently removed from the process with Anita not to feel anything at all, and just regard her as a client acting out her own issues on you. However, no one is totally emotionless (unless they are very burned out and desensitised) and it is worth being really honest with yourself about your feelings, even if they are not overwhelming. If you are not honest about what you are feeling and how this could impact on your decision-making, then you may not be able to be objective about her case.
If you do find that you really feel nothing for your clients and cannot access any emotions in relation to them, it may be that you are burnt out and operating on autopilot. Dealing with many difficult and traumatic situations can be very draining, particularly if you are working in a stressful environment. If you think that you have reached this point or something similar, then for your own benefit and that of your clients you should seek further support, take a break or maybe have a change of role or team.
Reflective Questions
- As a social worker what standards of behaviour are you expected to maintain outside of work and outside of work hours?
- How do you deal with clients that you don't like or disapprove of? In what ways are your feelings communicated to the client subliminally through body language, tone of voice, eye contact and general behaviour?
- What do you do to look after yourself and how much does your employer do to ensure that you are not burnt out? At what point would you be too burnt out to do your job properly?