1. What are professional boundaries?

Professional boundaries are the limits that define the safe, appropriate, and effective relationship between a staff member or volunteer and a service user.

They protect both the person being supported and the person providing support, and ensure that the relationship remains focused on the service user's needs.

Boundaries include physical, emotional, and social limits — for example, the type of contact that is appropriate, the information that is shared, and the nature of the relationship outside of the volunteering context.

2. Why boundaries matter

Clear professional boundaries help to: protect service users from harm or exploitation; protect staff and volunteers from allegations or burnout; maintain trust in The Healing Hubs; and ensure our services are delivered safely and effectively.

Many of the people we support are vulnerable and may be at risk of forming unhealthy dependencies. Maintaining boundaries helps to protect them.

3. Expected behaviours

Staff and volunteers must: maintain a warm, compassionate, and professional relationship with service users; keep personal information about service users confidential; use only the communication channels approved by The Healing Hubs; and report any concerns about boundary violations promptly.

Staff and volunteers may share their personal mobile number or personal email address with service users where this supports the delivery of their role. This is a matter of trust and professional judgement.

Staff and volunteers must not: share their home address or personal social media profiles with service users; accept gifts of significant value from service users; enter into personal, financial, or romantic relationships with service users; or provide services beyond the scope of their role.

4. Social media

Staff and volunteers must not connect with or follow service users on personal social media accounts, and must not share their personal social media profiles with service users.

Any formal or organisational communication with service users must take place through channels approved by The Healing Hubs.

5. Recognising boundary violations

A boundary violation occurs when a staff member or volunteer acts outside the limits of their role in a way that could harm a service user or compromise the integrity of the relationship.

Signs that a boundary may be at risk include: feeling a special connection with a particular service user; keeping information about a service user secret from colleagues; sharing your home address or social media profiles; or spending time with a service user outside of the volunteering role.

6. Telephone befriending

Telephone befrienders make calls using a withheld number (141). Personal telephone numbers are never shared with service users.

Calls are weekly, approximately 30 minutes in duration, for a period of 12 weeks.

Calls are never recorded.

Personal details — including home address and personal social media profiles — must never be shared with service users.

7. Reporting concerns

Any concerns about professional boundaries — whether about your own behaviour or that of a colleague or volunteer — must be reported to the Team Manager immediately.

Concerns can also be raised under our Whistleblowing Policy.

The Healing Hubs will not tolerate any retaliation against anyone who raises a genuine concern.

8. Consequences of breach

A breach of professional boundaries will be treated as a serious disciplinary matter and may result in dismissal or termination of a volunteer's role.

Where a breach involves potential harm to a service user, it will also be dealt with under our Safeguarding Policy.

9. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or following any relevant incident.