BookOne

WHAT ARE BOUNDARIES?
Boundaries are how you make sure that you are working professionally. They are the lines
that decide what you will do or won’t do while supporting a person.
Perhaps the best way of explaining boundaries for a Support Worker is the term “friendly –
not friends”. Always remember that you are in the lives of the people you support because
you are paid to be there.
It is very easy to find ourselves becoming close to the people we support. This is a good
thing as our work is all about relationships, but we need to remember that our relationship
– close though it may be – is still a paid one, just like you and your hairdresser, or plumber
etc.
Being a support person can mean that you have a lot of involvement in the personal lives of
the people you support and the lives of their family and friends. You will probably have
knowledge of personal or confidential information. Sometimes as a result of this, you might
be asked to do things that are not actually part of your role as a support worker.
Throughout all of Community Connections’ Policies and Procedures you will find pieces that
relate to boundaries (see two examples below), but the Policies and Procedures as a whole
are the best way for you to know your boundaries. They cover most situations you might
encounter and give you guidance as to what is expected of you.
Here are some tips that will help you with keeping boundaries:
• Talk about your role as a support person with the person you support and their
network. Make sure that you all have the same understanding of what it is that you
are doing in that person’s life.
• Check it’s right – every now and then, ask the person you support how they think
your relationship is going.
• Be careful about providing too much information about yourself and your own private
life. Some disclosure is ok, because not sharing to some extent can create a sense
of imbalance in the support relationship. But make sure that the person you support
is not getting too involved in your happiness or wellness.
• You have an obligation to discuss things with your Coordinator if you have concerns
regarding collegues who may not be respecting boundaries. This is not ‘dobbing’ –
it’s being mindful the wellbeing of the people that we support.
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