Professional Boundaries in Social Work and Social Care : A Practical Guide to Understanding, Maintaining and Managing Your Professional Boundaries

This book is a basic primer for maintaining all types of boundaries during the professional relationship, from legal boundaries and policies governing behaviour to rules surrounding confidentiality. Presenting a flexible framework of rules and guidelines which can be applied to any client relationship, the book offers practical advice and suggestions on how to judge boundaries and how to manage a situation in which they have been crossed. The book also explores why such guidelines exist by explaining the benefit to both worker and client of establishing a good rapport whilst maintaining a professional, emotional distance. Throughout the book, and in the self-assessment test provided, the reader is invited to examine his or her personal responses to working with clients and their effect on maintaining professional boundaries.

Frank Cooper is a freelance trainer specialising in professional boundaries in social care, and has over 16 years' experience as a social care professional. He previously also taught in the fields of volunteer training and drugs awareness, and has developed accredited courses in his chosen fields of speciality. His website can be found at www.professionalboundariesinsocialwork.com.