Clients are often viewed as the sole recipients in the social work relationship. The social workers usually accept this money but inform the management and the clients that the money will be put into the fund for the seniors' leisure activities. In all professional relationships, there are power imbalances and the potential for discrimination and exploitation. Within the fields of family therapy and counselling, Bird (2000) and O'Leary (2004) have suggested an alternative model for professional boundaries. power. So, over time, the dis was dropped, and the social added to the front, to highlight the fact that the graces have an impact not only on an individual level, but are activated within the community. Theories of power in interprofessional research - developing the field However, in a comprehensive study conducted by Doel and his colleagues (2010), a clear majority of social workers relied on their own sense of what is appropriate or not, instead of the complicated code of ethics or formal guidelines, in many cases as big as a book, set by professional bodies. However, the model challenges these theories to pay more critical attention to how boundaries can be negotiated in a global world. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. This article is also available for rental through DeepDyve. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. In general terms, social workers need to ensure that they act in the best interests of service users. Patients may not participate in care because of a perceived subordination to their providers. For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. In a group setting, or in pairs, attempt to roleplay the social graces from different perspectives. Conceptualising the boundaries of the social work relationship in this way enhances clients' sense of autonomy, level of participation and dignity, and has the potential to make the whole process of intervention more humane. This conceptualisation is more compatible with contemporary theoretical developments within the profession. Arnd-Caddigan and Pozzuto (2008) view the use of self as a relational and interactional process. Defining the social work relationship: political, therapeutic, participatory or mutual? Professional associations might use the model to better elucidate the distinctiveness of the professional boundaries in social work relationships. For example, the British Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (BASW, 2002, p.6) states that social workers have a duty to set and enforce explicit and appropriate professional boundaries. They could differ according to place, time and culture. 16763. There is no question that the coronavirus has widened the schism between the rich and the poor. But in other situations, a younger person may have more power. See below. Power also exists in the form of the client. Collaborating with the client in the setting of professional boundaries is likely to have a positive impact on the quality of the relationships we have with clients, itself an important factor in successful outcomes.