The Relationship Boundaries focus group is a relatively new group, having met twice in February 2016 and June 2016. The group generally meets quarterly and is well attended by practitioners from the following organisations:
Barnardo’s Scotland, Cairn Mhor Childcare Partnership, Care Visions, Dean and Cauvin Trust, East Ayrshire Council, East Lothian Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Falkirk Council, Foster Care Associates, Kibble Education and Care Centre, and Y-Sort it.
The meetings have so far given attendees the opportunity to voice their own experiences and to reflect on the barriers they face in relationship-based practice. Throughout discussions at both meetings attendees were able to share their own opinions and beliefs around relationship boundaries and share examples of good practice.
Some of the questions raised by the participants include:
- Where does the relationship change from professional to personal?
- What processes are in place to ensure safe decisions are being made?
- How do we link in with corporate parenting?
- How do we get a sense of feeling we are backed up from our councils, organisations and government?
- What are young people’s views on relationship boundaries?
- When meeting a young person outside of working hours, is the worker acting as a representative of their organisation, or as an individual?
- Does the change in legislation change the kind of relationships we need to have with young people?
- How do we measure the impact that relationships have on young people and the outcomes of meaningful relationships?
- How do we manage to keep both the young person and the worker/carer safe?
- What role does the worker or carer’s identity or personality play in relationship boundaries?
There was an understanding in the group at both meetings that the issue of relationship boundaries is not a straightforward one, and that there will not be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. There will need to be flexibility in embedding relationship-based practice to account for differing personalities and beliefs of both practitioners and young people.