Developing professional boundaries guidance for social workers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the approach taken by the General Social Care Council to developing professional boundaries guidance for social workers. Design/methodology/approach – Areas of tension or difficulty encountered in developing the guidance are highlighted and the reasons for the decisions taken in developing the guidance are discussed. Findings – The process of developing the guidance served to highlight a number of areas of disagreement regarding how the General Social Care Council should act to address the issue of professional boundaries violations amongst social workers. These areas of disagreement, and how they were resolved within the scope of the guidance, are analysed. Originality/value – The paper provides an insight into the types of issues that a regulator confronts when acting to address behaviour amongst its registrants. The approach the General Social Care Council took to professional boundaries issues amongst social workers – producing an aid to reflection rather than a list of “dos” and “don'ts” – and the process of developing the guidance will provide a useful reference point for other organisations confronting similar issues.