Which statement accurately describes ethical boundaries regarding physical and sexual contact between school social workers and clients?

• A. Social workers may engage in physical but non-sexual contact with clients if they have set clear, appropriate boundaries with the client and are certain that no psychological harm will result
• B. It is acceptable for school social workers to work with a student when the social worker has had a sexual relationship with the student's parent in the past
• C. While school social workers are prohibited from engaging in physical or sexual contact with clients, this prohibition does not extend to the families of their clients
• D. It is acceptable for a school social worker to engage in consensual sexual activities with clients who are of legal age

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that protecting clients from harm and maintaining clear, professional boundaries is essential in school social work. Sexual contact with current clients is not permissible under ethical guidelines. The statement that allows physical contact if boundaries are clearly set and there is confidence that no psychological harm will result reflects a cautious, boundary-focused view: non-sexual physical contact can be allowed only when it is professional, truly necessary, culturally appropriate, and does not risk harming the client or being misinterpreted. In practice, school settings carry power imbalances and potential for boundary violations, so any physical contact should be approached with extreme care and aligned with agency policies.

Why the other scenarios don’t fit: having had a sexual relationship with a student’s parent creates a dual relationship that can impair judgment and exploit trust, which ethics prohibit. The idea that boundaries don’t extend to families ignores the interconnected nature of the student’s support system and the risks of boundary crossings. Engaging in any sexual activity with a client, even if of legal age, violates professional ethics and erodes the trust and safety essential to the helping relationship.