First Steps: Service Coordinator

 

 

Important Boundary Reminders for Service Coordinators

 

Because of the importance of the role and function of the service coordinator, it is important the highest standard of professional behavior be maintained at all times. In the work service coordinators do with families, it is easy to cross over these boundaries and experience problems as a result.

 

Families can also experience significant problems when relationships are not monitored carefully. They may become overly dependent upon an individual service coordinator and fail to understand their own responsi­bilities or the appropriate responsibilities of other or new providers based upon their experience with one provider.

 

Appropriate boundaries are also essential to maintain with the provider community. The service coordinator may be seen as an individual who can exert influence over a family’s choice of provider. Be cautious in accepting favors, gifts, or other rewards from individual providers as they may compromise the service coordinator’s ability (or the perception of their ability) to be independent and unbiased (Walsh, 2000).

 

Important Considerations in Managing Boundaries with Families

• How much time will you spend with a family? Is it face-to-face? Is it by telephone?
• What kinds of information will you share?
• How much personal information will you share?
• If you are a parent of a child with a disability, how much information will you share about your own experience?
• Will you talk about politics, religion, the latest movies, current sales at local stores?
• Where will you sit with the family when you have a face-to-face visit?
• If you are meeting with the opposite gender, will you need to place yourself in a different location or meet at a different time or place?
• What are your and the family’s needs in regards to personal space?
• Are there limitations on how, when, and where you’ll meet with families? Can they call you at home?
• Are there topics you would rather not discuss?
• Are there emotional issues too close to your own you’d rather not talk about?

 

Boundary Violations

 

Warning Signs of Possible Boundary Violations

• Dual relationships
• Fluid boundaries
• Intrusion into the family’s space
• Self-disclosure by the service coordinator
• Referring to family members as friends
• Investigating certain details of family member’s personal lives
• Sharing information about a family with others
• Loaning, trading, or selling items to a family member
• Accepting or giving gifts
• Exceptional behavior (i.e., doing too much, identifying too much, having extended meetings)
• Experiencing strong, positive feelings for a family member
• Touching or physically comforting a family member
• Sexual contact
• Socializing

 

Intervening Factors/Options to Consider Concerning Boundary Violations

• Consultation with colleagues or a supervisor in assessing the situation
• The family member’s history in relationships
• The history and dynamics of the particular relationship
• The service coordinator’s level of professional experience
• Cultural norms reflected in the behavior of both the service coordinator and the family member
• Legal liabilities that the service coordinator might face
• The value base of the service coordinator
• The functional level of the family

 

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