Social workers: Confused on professional boundaries?

In our exclusive survey, social workers reveal themselves to be unsure about professional boundaries.
Derren Hayes reports

In June and July, Community Care surveyed nearly 300 social workers to try and understand the full extent of the confusion surrounding professional boundaries. The findings, while reassuring in some instances, highlight the different opinions social workers have on relationships with clients, and underlines the need for the GSCC to provide greater clarity on what is and isn’t acceptable.

Prevalent

Of the 293 Community Care readers surveyed nearly three quarters – 215 – had worked with someone who they believed had behaved inappropriately with a client. The most prevalent form encountered was inappropriate professional conduct, 41%, but a worryingly high 12% of respondents had also witnessed inappropriate sexual behaviour by a colleague towards a service user. Unspecified inappropriate behaviour accounted for a further 20% of answers.

There was wide variation in the actions social workers who had witnessed the inappropriate behaviour took in response to this. Most – 54% – reported what they’d seen to their manager, 46% felt it was best to talk to the person concerned directly, while 8% used whistleblowing protocols. Worryingly, 14% decided to do nothing and just 1% thought it appropriate to tell the GSCC, calling into question how much faith rank and file social workers have in the ability and willingness of employer-led and external systems to tackle such behaviour.

Concerned

In response, the GSCC says: “We are concerned very few respondents would report inappropriate behaviour to us. We know many complaints come to us from employers, often after the organisation’s disciplinary procedure has been followed.”

Reassuringly, 98% of the surveyed group thought it never acceptable to have a sexual relationship with one of their clients or go on a “date” with them (97%). However, when it comes to relationships with former clients, the waters become murkier. While the overwhelming majority (69%) said sexual relationships with this group were still off limits, 14% said it was okay, while a further 16% were unsure. Despite these findings, 87% said there is a need for a code of conduct on sexual boundaries specific to social care.

Openess

The GSCC says: “What is key is that there is always openness and transparency. If such a relationship develops, it’s vital that this is discussed with the line manager as early as possible. Decisions can then be made about what action needs to be taken, if any.”

Other areas that can cause problems and stretch the professional boundaries are friendships with clients – 7% (21) of the 293 respondents admitted developing a friendship with a client that went beyond a professional relationship. There is also disagreement over whether what social workers do in their spare time should be subject to the conduct process: 53% say it should be but a quarter think not and 15% are undecided.

Professionally

The GSCC says: “If a social worker was to bump into a client in their spare time, they must act professionally – as if they were at work. It is important such interactions are recorded on the office file.”

There are also significant differences of opinion on the punishments meted out to those social workers that have transgressed. While 45% said the current GSCC approach to poor conduct and practice was about right, 14% believed the council was too tough while 23% said it was too lenient.