Professional Boundaries

Duration: 16 minutes

A support worker’s relationship with a client is professional, not personal. So it is important that support workers know how to keep a professional boundary, a line, between them and the client.

This video has an introduction to professional boundaries followed by eight real work scenarios which show where a boundary could be crossed between a worker and a client.

“The Professional Boundaries video is just what I have been looking for. It seems it was tailor made for us to reinforce the importance of why boundaries have to be set to protect both the client and the staff. An excellent training tool”.

Sue Cuthbert
Coordinator, Shire of Wagin Home and Community Care Program

The video can be used as an interactive learning tool:

• play a scenario and the three different responses from the worker
• the question is then asked, “What could go wrong?” and some possible consequences of crossing that boundary are presented.
• pause the video, discuss the possible consequences of each response and which one is correct.
• resume the video and the correct answer is then given.

Or the video can just be played all the way through.

Working through these scenarios will help workers to be clear about their role – what they are there to do and what they are not there to do. It will assist them in saying “no” and to explain “why” to the client if they ask them to do something that is not on their task list.

ISBN: 978-0-9870953-7-4

“I would highly recommend this video for all support workers in the community sector because boundaries are one of the most important issues faced by community support workers. This video demonstrates common situations where boundaries can easily be crossed and offers a variety of choices for each scenario. The learner has to think about their response before finding out if it was correct and why or why not”.

Jenny Pitkin
Teacher, Community Health, Disability and Aged Care

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Topics covered:

Introduction
How the scenarios work
Scenario 1 – Buying something extra for a client
Scenario 2 – Asked to do something not on your task list
Scenario 3 – Lonely client wants you to visit outside work
Scenario 4 – Gift from a client
Scenario 5 – Client asks for your phone number
Scenario 6 – Privacy of staff and clients
Scenario 7 – Your personal information and the client
Scenario 8 – Suspected financial abuse

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Resource Material for:

Community Services Training Package

• CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support

For example, use for competencies:

HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client care
CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically
CHCCCS031 Provide individualised support
CHCCOM005 Communicate and work in health or community services
CHCCCS040 Support independence and wellbeing
CHCCCS038 Facilitate the empowerment of people receiving support

Note about the Professional Boundaries streaming video

When you subscribe to the streaming version of this video you have two options. Play each scenario with the correct answer given at the end, or play each scenario without the answer given at the end.

You also have immediate access to the following bonus written materials:

• a full transcript of the video
• a worksheet for the 8 scenarios which you can customise for your own organisation
• an answer sheet for the 8 scenarios.

Note about the DVD version of Professional Boundaries

• bonus written materials can be emailed to you on request to info@ideasthatwork.com.au