Competency Category:
Competency Series:

1.2 – Maintain Professional Boundaries

Purpose & Context

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) maintain professional boundaries with clients to protect the client from potential harm. CDPs have a relationship of trust with their clients, who may feel vulnerable under certain circumstances, such as when they are disclosing personal history and personal needs. This relationship may create a power imbalance, or a sense that the CDP has influence on the level of services or support the client will be offered.CDPs must use professional judgement to prevent boundary issues from arising and to establish and manage boundaries in a variety of circumstances, including the prevention and management of possible conflicts of interest. Managing boundaries relates to client’s personal dignity, privacy and self-agency.Professional boundaries extend beyond the client relationship, such as when CDPs assume supervisory responsibilities and have influence over workplace colleagues.

Effective Performance

Competent career development professionals must be able to:

  • P1. Comply with Code of Ethics;
  • P1. Maintain client relationship boundaries:
    • Determine whether action or circumstance constitutes a conflict of interest;
    • Communicate in a non-judgemental manner;
    • Introduce self by name and professional title;
    • Address client by preferred name and title;
    • Respect uniqueness and diversity of each client, i.e. be aware of comments, attitudes and behaviours that may cause discomfort or challenge client beliefs, values, lifestyle or culture;
  • P2. Prevent boundary violations:
    • Refrain from engaging in personal, sexual or romantic relationships with clients;
    • Refrain from giving or receiving significant gifts;
    • Avoid dual or overlapping relationships, e.g. professional affiliations;
    • Schedule appointments during regular work hours in professional setting, e.g. defined work office;
  • P3. Identify vulnerable situations, such as:
    • Sexual attraction;
    • Misinterpretation of gestures, e.g. touching;
    • Helping client financially, e.g. pay rent, buy lunch;
  • P4. Seek guidance from professional association, as required, e.g. national or provincial association;
  • P5. Transfer client to qualified professional, if required;
  • P6. Document actions taken;

Knowledge & Understanding

Competent career development professionals must know and understand:

  • K1. Common types of boundary violations, for example:
    • Sexual relations;
    • Accepting social invitations from clients;
    • Receipt or exchange of gifts;
    • Financial dealings;
    • Conflicts of interest;
    • Breaches of trust;
    • Seeking client advice in their area of expertise, e.g. financial investments;
    • Calling family members for information the client refuses to disclose;
  • K2. Code of Ethics;
  • K3. Professional practice guidelines;

Contextual Variables

Competent career development professionals must be able to perform this competency in the following range of contexts:

None

Glossary & Key References

Terms

Industry-specific terms contained in the standard defined here, where applicable.

Self-agency: the power an individual has over their own life. Self-agency means that an individual has a sense of control over their actions or events that may affect them.

Information Sources and Resources for Consideration

None

Context Rating Scales

Criticality

Q: What is the consequence of a professional being unable to perform this skill according to the standard?

High probability of risk: VERY CRITICAL

Frequency

Q: How frequent and under what conditions is this skill performed?

Routinely, regular course of procedure

Level of Difficulty

Q: Under routine circumstances, how would you rate the level of difficulty in performing this skill?

Moderate difficulty or complexity

Time Required to Gain Proficiency

Q: What is the average length of time or number of repeated events that are minimally necessary for an individual to become proficient in performing the skill to the standard?

To ensure client wellbeing, a career development professional should perform this competency immediately upon entering practice.

Autonomy

Practitioners typically perform this competency without supervision, and alone.

Automation

It is unlikely that this competency will automate.

Requisite Work Aids, Tools, Equipment or Materials

None