1. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 1 of 6
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING ALLIANCE
Registered as an Educational Charity
PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES POLICY
1.0 Introduction
This policy sets out the Pre-school Learning Alliance’s standards, principles and
good practice guidelines on professional boundaries with service users.
It is not an exhaustive list of what staff members can and cannot do, but the aim is to
enable staff to understand: the ground rules that all staff must observe; and the
expectations the charity has of its staff when dealing with service users.
It is recognised that staff must establish a rapport with service users and provide
support; however staff are responsible for ensuring that they establish and maintain
appropriate professional boundaries between themselves and service users.
The rights and needs of service users must be respected at all times. Staff must
recognise that they are in a position of authority and this must not be abused at any
time. It is essential that all interactions between individuals must be seen in terms of
a professional relationship.
This guidance applies to all contact with service users and suppliers and should be
incorporated into day-to-day practices.
2.0 Staff Responsibilities and Authorities
Line managers have the specific role of monitoring day to day team and individual
practice and have a responsibility to challenge and address staff when standards are
not being maintained.
All staff are individually responsible for applying and maintaining appropriate
professional boundaries in their day-to-day work and for raising any associated
issues or training needs with their line manager.
3.0 Definitions
Professional boundaries define the limits of behaviour and responsibilities which
allow for safe connections between staff members and service users. These
boundaries are based on trust, respect and the appropriate use of power/authority.
Professional relationship can be defined as a bond of trust between staff members
and service users in which staff members have a responsibility for ensuring that
professional boundaries are achieved at all times.
Staff member refers to anyone who, as a Pre-school Learning Alliance employee,
provides a direct or indirect service. This also includes students and volunteers.

2. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 2 of 6
Service user refers to any individual in direct receipt of any service provided by a
member of Pre-school Learning Alliance.
Individual refers to Pre-school Learning Alliance employees, service users,
volunteers and people employed by external organisations.
4.0 Working with Service Users
4.1 Befriending
4.1.1 Staff Member Responsibilities
Staff must never overstep professional boundaries and confuse befriending with
friendship. All workers must be aware of the difference between:
• Befriending a service user – which is a professional relationship, made to
meet service users needs, and
• Becoming a service user’s friend – which is a relationship that focuses on the
needs of both people. A professional relationship focuses solely on the needs
of the service user.
Where personal friendships exist or develop, which span role boundaries for
example; a nursery worker is asked to babysit for a parent/family. The member of
staff should make his/her line manager aware of this fact.
4.1.2 Line Manager Responsibilities
The line manager and the staff member should look together at whether any conflicts
of interest are likely to arise and how these may be best dealt with.
Where a service user seeks one-to-one support from our organisation, ideally this
should not be provided by someone who already has a close personal connection
with the service user, in order to prevent confusion arising over the capacity in which
someone is acting.
4.2 Sexual Relationships and Sexual or Foul Language
4.2.1 Staff Member Responsibilities
The Alliance discourages the development of sexual relationships between service
users and staff members in supportive roles with them. Where such a relationship
already exists, or it develops, the staff member should inform his/her line manager
and the staff member should immediately cease in their support role.
Staff members should approach any physical contact with great care and caution to
avoid misinterpretation as affection or favouritism.
Staff members must ensure that they do not use language of a sexual nature in
discussions with service users, suppliers and colleagues.

3. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 3 of 6
Foul and abusive language is not appropriate and must be avoided in order to avoid
offending fellow colleagues or service users.
4.2.2 Line Manager Responsibilities
The line manager should talk to the service user, informing him/her of the action
taken and explaining the reasons for it.
The line manager should explore whether the member of staff has misused their
position in anyway. If evidence of such conduct came to light it would regarded as a
disciplinary matter for the staff member.
4.3 Financial Transactions
The Alliance discourages financial transactions between service users and staff
members to prevent the possibility of the Alliance being brought into disrepute,
examples of such transactions might be the buying or selling of goods or services, or
the lending or borrowing of money.
Staff members should inform their line manager of any suggestion of such
transaction and if the line manager were to have any concerns he/she should talk to
the service user concerned.
If evidence of such conduct came to light it would regarded as a disciplinary matter
for the staff member.
4.4 Gifts, Favours and Hospitality
A service user may at times wish to give a gift, or offer favour or hospitality to a staff
member to express appreciation for help given and it could be insensitive of the staff
member to refuse a token of this kind. In order to avoid offending the service user
staff members may accept the gift on behalf of the team and not as an individual.
The line manager should be informed immediately and refer to the charity’s Anti-
bribery Policy.
4.5 Attendance at Service User Events
Whilst staff members are able to attend service user’s social events the charity would
prefer that staff members did not meet service users socially. However in the event
where this is unavoidable then the staff member must ensure that their conduct at the
event does not bring the charity into disrepute.
It may be deemed appropriate that a staff member attend a funeral in order to
represent the Pre-school Learning Alliance. This will be dependent on service
capacity on the day. Any staff member wishing to attend a funeral must discuss with
their line manager prior to the event.
A sympathy card /letter to the family from all the team on behalf of the organisation
may be appropriate, as agreed by the line manager.

4. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 4 of 6
4.6 Service User Assumptions
Where a staff member is acting in a supportive role with a service user, particular
care needs to be taken about the understanding and assumptions of the service user
about what is being offered. It is not appropriate to ‘make promises’.
4.7 Use of Terms of Endearment
Care should be taken when speaking to colleagues, service users and suppliers that
casual phrases such as; “dear”, “honey”, “love”, “mate” etc. are avoided, in order to
avoid unwelcome over familiarity.
4.8 Divulging Personal Information
Care should be taken by staff members over how much personal information they
divulge to service users and, in particular, should not disclose their own home
addresses and private contact details.
Staff members who receive friend requests from service users for social networking
sites should refer to the charity’s policy on Websites, Blogs and Social Networking
before accepting.
Staff members need to have a clear understanding of where he/she wishes to draw
the line of his/her own privacy and convey an understanding of this boundary line to
the service user.
Deciding what and how much personal information to reveal should be based on the
needs of the service user and not the needs of the staff member.
Managers should ensure that their staff members have read and understood the
charity’s Data Protection Policy.
4.9 Confidentiality
Care should be taken not to put pressure on service users to divulge confidential
information to any staff member.
When a service users does impart confidential information staff members should use
the utmost discretion and discuss it with his/her line manager.
Where staff members live in the local community where they work extreme caution
must be taken to ensure that information disclosed during the course of their work is
not divulged in social circumstances.
Managers should ensure that their staff members have read and understood the
charity’s Confidentiality Policy.

5. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 5 of 6
4.10 Recognition of Staff Members Own Limitations
It is important that all staff members recognise the limitations of their own skill,
knowledge and experience and do not go beyond these limitations in their work with
service users.
It is also important that staff members consider their own health and well-being and
recognise and respect their own limits in coping with work pressures.
Where a service user expresses or demonstrates a need which cannot be met by a
staff member, the staff member should be open about this with the service user and,
where appropriate, help him/her to access an alternative service.
4.11 Staff members Conduct
Staff members should conduct themselves in a manner in which is appropriate to
their role so that they can be seen to be responsible, reliable and caring individuals in
whom service users can safely place their trust.
Managers should ensure that their staff members have read and understood the
charity’s Code of Conduct.
4.12 Social Networking
The Alliance respects staff member’s right to a private life. However, the Alliance
must also ensure that confidentiality and its reputation are protected. Managers
should ensure that their staff members have read and understood the charity’s
Websites, Blogs and Social Networking Policy and are required to:
• Refrain from identifying themselves as working for the Alliance.
• Take care not to allow their interaction on websites to damage working
relationships between members of staff and service users of the Alliance.
5.0 Managing Boundary Issues
Staff members may unwittingly be put in a position where their relationship with
service users is compromised, or to be drawn into conversations or situations where
their boundaries are being stretched or crossed. In some situations the fine line
between good and bad practice may not always be obvious or clear.
A staff member should seek the guidance of their line manager if they are unsure
about the nature of a relationship developing with a service user, or if they need
advice on how they intend to deal with a situation. Similarly if the immediate line
manager requires advice they must consult their line manager.
In situations where it has not been possible to access support in this way, any action
which has been taken must be discussed with the line manager as soon as is
possible.

6. Professional Boundaries Policy
October 2012.
Page 6 of 6
A written record of a broken or blurred boundary should be kept the appropriate file
or book (in accordance with local practice) recording what was discussed and agreed
in accordance with the charity’s Data Protection Policy.
There are some events and arrangements planned with service users that are highly
valued by them but may present potential boundary issues. In these instances there
may at times be a need to exercise flexibility and discretion in the interpretation of
this policy. Such instances where there are clear potential benefits to service users
should be brought to the attention of the manager. The situation will then be ‘risk
assessed’, any necessary safeguards agreed with the line manager and a record
kept.
This approach should ensure that transparency is maintained in agreeing variations
and that positive risk taking is managed.
6 .0 Monitoring And Review
Line Managers supervisors will be responsible for general monitoring of these
guidelines. Transgressions will be reviewed with individual staff members, but in
some cases it may be appropriate to record examples for discussion as part of staff
training or discussion at team meetings.
Significant and/or repeated breaches of this policy will lead to disciplinary action, up
to and including dismissal.