The General Social Care Council may produce guidance on the
professional boundaries between social workers and service users
following two major research projects.
The GSCC is using its research, which looked at professional
boundaries from the perspective of social workers and of people who
use services, to “explore a range of practical support measures, of
which guidance is one”.
Service user empowerment
GSCC chief executive Mike Wardle said the findings, due to be
published later this year, would “demonstrate the importance of
working with employers to help empower people who use services to
understand what they should and should not expect from their social
worker”.
“It is vital that service users know what to do if they feel
uncomfortable in any way,” he added.
A
survey of social workers by Community Care last year
found that while almost 70% felt sexual relationships with service
users were never acceptable, 14% said they were acceptable, at
least sometimes, and a further 16% were unsure.
Social workers want code of conduct
Most identified the need for a code of conduct on sexual
boundaries specific to social care.
GSCC conduct committees have dealt with 24 cases where social
workers were alleged to have been involved in relationships with
service users and/or had crossed sexual boundaries with service
users.
Of these, 15 people were removed from the register, five were
admonished, and four were suspended.
Healthcare guidance
The latest news comes after new guidance was published last week
on sexual boundaries between health staff and patients.
The guidance, from the Council for Healthcare
Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) and NHS Employers, informs
patients of the responsibility of health workers to “establish and
maintain clear sexual boundaries with patients and carers”.
It also tells patients what to do if they are concerned about a
health professional’s actions, and explains what is defined by
sexualised behaviour.
The CHRE published guidance for health professionals in January
2008.
Sexual misconduct cases
The nine regulatory bodies under the CHRE’s remit have heard 274
cases categorised as “sexual misconduct” since January 2005.
Of these, 156 of the hearings resulted in removal from the
register of health professionals, 26 in suspension, and 25 in
registration being maintained but with conditions attached.
More information
CHRE guidance on clear sexual boundaries
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