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Workplace Relationships and Professional Conduct Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set clear expectations for appropriate workplace relationships, professional boundaries and standards of conduct within our domiciliary support service. It is intended to ensure that all staff, workers and others working for or on behalf of the service behave in a manner that protects the safety, dignity, rights and well-being of individuals receiving care and support and supports a safe, respectful, inclusive and professionally accountable working environment.

This policy supports compliance with:

• the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016;
• the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, including regulations 13, 21, 26, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 65 where relevant;
• the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014;
• the Equality Act 2010, including the employer’s statutory duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of workers;
• the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Workers, effective from 1 July 2026;
• the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Employers, effective from 1 July 2026; and
• applicable Wales Safeguarding Procedures and statutory safeguarding requirements.

The organisation will promote professional conduct by:

• setting clear expectations for appropriate behaviour, professional boundaries and relationships;
• ensuring that staff understand and follow the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice applicable to their role;
• preventing and responding appropriately to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, victimisation, abuse, neglect and improper treatment;
• requiring staff to identify, declare and appropriately manage actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest;
• ensuring that staff understand their safeguarding, whistleblowing and duty of candour responsibilities;
• providing appropriate induction, training, supervision and support; and
• taking appropriate disciplinary, safeguarding, regulatory or other action where professional standards are breached.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All employees, including care workers, supervisors, and managers.
• Agency and temporary staff, volunteers, and contractors working with the organisation.
• Service users and their families, where professional boundaries apply.
• External professionals and stakeholders interacting with staff.

It covers:

• Professional workplace conduct expectations.
• Appropriate and inappropriate workplace relationships.
• Conflicts of interest and maintaining professional boundaries.
• Reporting misconduct and handling grievances.
• Ensuring compliance with CIW standards and Social Care Wales ethics.

3. Expectations of Workplace Conduct

All employees must:

• Act with professionalism, integrity, and respect towards colleagues, service users, and stakeholders.
• Uphold dignity, confidentiality, and safeguarding principles at all times.
• Demonstrate teamwork and collaboration while respecting individual roles and responsibilities.
• Follow health and safety regulations and ensure a secure working environment.
• Avoid behaviour that could be considered bullying, harassment, or discrimination.

3.1 Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Victimisation

The organisation does not tolerate bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination or victimisation in connection with work.

The organisation will take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of workers in the course of their employment, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. This includes considering circumstances in which workers may be exposed to sexual harassment from colleagues or third parties, including individuals receiving care and support, relatives, representatives, visitors, contractors or other professionals with whom staff come into contact through their work.

Sexual harassment means unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Prohibited behaviour includes, but is not limited to:

• unwanted sexual comments, jokes, remarks, gestures or questions;
• unwanted touching or physical contact;
• sexual propositions, requests or advances;
• displaying, sending or sharing sexual or offensive images, messages or other material;
• sexualised comments or conduct through social media, messaging services, telephone calls or other electronic communications;
• harassment related to a protected characteristic;
• intimidating, humiliating or degrading conduct; and
• treating a person unfavourably because they have raised, supported or participated in a complaint about discrimination or harassment.

Any member of staff who experiences, witnesses or becomes aware of such behaviour must be able to raise the matter without fear of retaliation. Reports will be taken seriously and handled promptly, fairly, sensitively and in accordance with the organisation’s relevant grievance, disciplinary, safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures.

Where the alleged behaviour involves an individual receiving care and support, relative, representative or another third party, management will assess the circumstances and take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the member of staff while also considering the individual’s care and support needs, rights, communication needs, capacity where relevant, risks and personal plan.

No person will be subjected to victimisation or retaliation because they have raised a concern, made a complaint, supported another person in raising a concern or participated in an investigation.

3.2 Respectful Communication and Behaviour

Employees must:

• Communicate respectfully in all workplace interactions, whether verbal, written, or digital.
• Avoid offensive language, aggressive behaviour, or inappropriate jokes.
• Respond professionally to conflicts and seek resolution through proper channels.
• Use clear, respectful language when communicating with service users and their families.

Failure to adhere to these expectations may result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Disciplinary and Grievance Policy (DCW31).

4. Workplace Relationships and Professional Boundaries

4.1 Relationships Between Staff Members

Our organisation recognises that friendships and positive working relationships enhance teamwork and job satisfaction. However, all employees must:

• Maintain professionalism at work, ensuring personal relationships do not interfere with duties.
• Declare potential conflicts of interest if working in close personal relationships (e.g., relatives, partners).
• Avoid favouritism, preferential treatment, or conflicts of interest in decision-making.

4.2 Relationships with Service Users and Their Families

Professional boundaries must be maintained at all times in relationships with service users and their families. Staff must:

• Not develop personal, intimate, or financial relationships with service users.
• Avoid accepting personal gifts, money, or favours from service users or their families.
• Maintain clear professional roles, ensuring care is provided ethically and fairly.
• Report any inappropriate behaviour from service users that may compromise professional boundaries.

If a staff member has a pre-existing relationship with a service user (e.g., a relative or friend), they must inform the Registered Manager ({{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}) to assess any conflict of interest.

4.3 Conflicts of Interest

Employees must:

• Disclose any external employment that may conflict with their role.
• Avoid using professional influence for personal gain.
• Ensure private relationships do not affect workplace decision-making.

Any suspected conflict of interest must be reported to the Registered Manager for assessment.

5. Managing Workplace Conflict and Grievances

5.1 Reporting Misconduct and Professional Concerns

All staff have a responsibility to raise concerns about conduct or practice which may affect the safety, dignity, rights or well-being of individuals receiving care and support or which may breach professional, regulatory or organisational standards.

Concerns that must be reported include, but are not limited to:

• actual or suspected abuse, neglect or improper treatment;
• unsafe, dangerous, exploitative or discriminatory behaviour or practice;
• bullying, harassment, sexual harassment or victimisation;
• inappropriate professional or personal relationships or breaches of professional boundaries;
• financial abuse, exploitation, theft or misuse of an individual’s money or property;
• breaches of confidentiality or inappropriate access to personal information;
• dishonest, fraudulent or unethical behaviour;
• conduct that places an individual, colleague or other person at risk of harm;
• deliberate concealment of an incident, error, safeguarding concern or other significant matter;
• obstruction of another person’s attempt to raise a concern or comply with their professional duty of candour; and
• any other conduct which may call into question a worker’s suitability or fitness to practise.

Where a member of staff becomes aware of abuse or suspected abuse, they must report the matter without delay in accordance with the organisation’s safeguarding procedures.

A failure by an employee to report an incident of abuse or suspected abuse to an appropriate person may constitute grounds for disciplinary proceedings in accordance with regulation 39 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

Depending upon the circumstances, an appropriate person may include:

• the line manager;
• the Registered Manager;
• the Responsible Individual;
• the service provider;
• the relevant local authority safeguarding team;
• Care Inspectorate Wales;
• a police officer; or
• another body or person specified by applicable legislation or safeguarding procedures.

Where the concern relates to the conduct of the person’s usual line manager, or where the member of staff reasonably believes that the normal reporting route is inappropriate, they must use an alternative appropriate reporting route, including the Registered Manager, Responsible Individual or the organisation’s Whistleblowing (Speaking Up) Policy.

Staff may also raise qualifying concerns through the Whistleblowing (Speaking Up) Policy (DCW29). Staff who raise genuine concerns must be supported and must not be subjected to detrimental treatment, intimidation or victimisation for doing so.

Nothing in this policy prevents or restricts a member of staff from making a protected disclosure or contacting an appropriate prescribed person or statutory authority where they are legally entitled to do so.

5.2 Handling Workplace Grievances

If a staff member has a grievance regarding workplace relationships, they should:

1. Attempt informal resolution through discussion.
2. Report concerns formally through the grievance procedure.
3. Engage in mediation or formal disciplinary processes, where required.

Our organisation ensures fair, transparent, and unbiased investigations into all complaints and grievances.

5.3 Duty of Candour and Openness

The organisation is committed to an open and transparent culture in accordance with its statutory duty of candour and the applicable Social Care Wales Codes of Professional Practice.

Staff must be open and honest in carrying out their work and must not conceal errors, incidents, omissions, unsafe practice, abuse, neglect or other matters which may affect the safety or well-being of an individual.

Where something has gone wrong in the provision of care and support, staff must:

• report the matter promptly through the appropriate organisational procedure;
• provide truthful, accurate and complete information;
• co-operate with any investigation, safeguarding process, regulatory enquiry or review;
• support the organisation to communicate openly and appropriately with the individual and, where appropriate, their representative;
• provide a full and prompt explanation when required within their role; and
• follow any applicable incident reporting, safeguarding, complaints and duty of candour procedures.

No employee, manager, Responsible Individual, director or other person working for or on behalf of the organisation may obstruct, discourage, intimidate, bully, harass or victimise another person for complying with their duty of candour or for raising a legitimate concern.

Any allegation that a person has deliberately concealed relevant information or obstructed another person in exercising their duty of candour will be investigated and may result in disciplinary action and, where appropriate, referral to Social Care Wales, another professional regulator, Care Inspectorate Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service, the police or another relevant statutory body.

6. Digital and Social Media Conduct

Employees must:

• Use social media responsibly, ensuring posts do not harm the organisation’s reputation.
• Not share confidential information about service users, colleagues, or the company online.
• Maintain professional conduct in workplace emails and online communications.

Breaches of digital conduct may result in disciplinary action.

7. Compliance with CIW and Social Care Wales Requirements

The organisation will provide the service in accordance with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, and applicable statutory guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers.

The organisation must adhere to the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Employers, effective from 1 July 2026, in accordance with regulation 37 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

All social care workers are expected to follow the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice for Social Care Workers, effective from 1 July 2026. Registered social care workers are required to follow that Code as a condition of their professional registration.

The organisation will ensure that staff:

• are informed about the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice relevant to their role;
• have access to the current Code and associated practice guidance;
• understand how the Code applies to their conduct and practice;
• maintain appropriate professional boundaries with individuals, their families, carers and colleagues;
• declare actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest;
• act honestly and maintain public trust and confidence in social care;
• raise and escalate unsafe, abusive, exploitative or discriminatory behaviour or practice;
• respect confidentiality and only access or use confidential information for legitimate work purposes;
• comply with safeguarding requirements;
• act openly and honestly where things go wrong;
• co-operate with investigations undertaken by the organisation, Social Care Wales, Care Inspectorate Wales or another appropriate body; and
• inform the organisation of matters which may affect their suitability or fitness to practise.

Registered social care workers must comply with any separate notification obligations imposed upon them by Social Care Wales, including requirements relating to matters which may affect their registration or fitness to practise.

Where concerns arise about a person’s conduct, competence, integrity or fitness to practise, the organisation will assess the matter promptly and take necessary and proportionate action to protect individuals from risk.

Where required or appropriate, this may include notification or referral to:

• Social Care Wales;
• another relevant professional regulatory body;
• the Disclosure and Barring Service;
• the relevant local authority safeguarding team;
• Care Inspectorate Wales;
• the police; or
• another relevant statutory body.

A worker leaving employment or resigning before the completion of an investigation or disciplinary procedure will not prevent the organisation from completing relevant enquiries so far as reasonably practicable or from considering and making any safeguarding, Disclosure and Barring Service, Social Care Wales, professional regulator, police or other statutory referral required by law.

Failure to comply with applicable professional conduct requirements may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal where appropriate, and may also result in referral to a professional or regulatory body.

8. Staff Training and Responsibilities

All staff must:

• Complete mandatory training on workplace conduct, safeguarding, and ethical behaviour.
• Follow professional boundaries when interacting with service users and colleagues.
• Report concerns promptly and responsibly, ensuring a safe workplace.

Management is responsible for:

• Enforcing this policy fairly and consistently.
• Providing ongoing staff training on professional conduct.
• Investigating workplace concerns effectively.

Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal, in line with the Disciplinary and Grievance Policy (DCW31).

9. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

• Whistleblowing (Speaking Up) Policy (DCW29).
• Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy (DCW13).
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy (DCW30).
• Disciplinary and Grievance Policy (DCW31).
• Confidentiality and Data Protection (GDPR) Policy (DCW34).

10. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required due to regulatory changes, CIW inspections, or workplace concerns. The Registered Manager is responsible for ensuring compliance.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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