Written boundaries are at the heart of protecting children. Without them, every day is filled with a myriad of subjective choices that are far too often hindered by our emotions, opinions, relationships, and quest for personal gain (acceptance, security, promotion, raise, etc.). When boundaries are established and documented in writing, they provide a mechanism for objective decision making that applies to everyone who comes in contact with children in your care. No exceptions!
Consequences of breaking the boundaries are also clearly established and documented ahead of time which removes the need for decisions about repercussions after the fact when emotions are likely to influence the decision. Boundaries for youth serving organizations fall into the six key categories below which are covered in depth in the Child Sexual Abuse Best Practices program:
- On-Site Boundaries
- Off-Site Boundaries
- Off-Hours Boundaries
- Electronic Communication and Social Media Boundaries
- Child-to-Child Boundaries
- Gift Boundaries