Professional boundaries: free online course for New Zealand care and support workers
Recognise when a care relationship is getting too personal, from gifts and texts to small-community ties, and know when and whom to tell.
About 37 min
5 short modules
15 questions
85% to pass
About this course
A client calls you her best friend. A family slips cash into a card. Your neighbour turns up on your roster. Your job description does not cover any of these, and you have about ten seconds to respond. This course helps you recognise these moments and know when to check your policy and tell your supervisor, using New Zealand official guidance and everyday examples.
It does not replace your employer's induction or policies. Much of the guidance it draws on was written for nurses, social workers or teachers, and the course says when that is the case.
You can study and sit the assessment free, with no account. The Nursing Council's and the Social Workers Registration Board's guidance is also free to read, and the Health and Disability Commissioner has online modules on the Code of Rights. All are linked on this page. Pay only if you pass and want our certificate.
What you will learn
Describe why a care or support relationship differs from a friendship, and where the power sits.
Recognise common warning signs that a relationship is getting too personal.
Recognise offers of gifts, money, loans or a place in a will as times to check your policy and tell your supervisor.
Recognise how phone numbers, texts, social media, personal stories and favours can blur your role, and know when to ask.
Know when to tell your supervisor about a connection in a small community, and why to ask the person rather than guess.
Describe the Code of Rights on dignity, refusing services and choice of worker, and what it means for everyday touch.
Know when and whom to tell if you have crossed a line or suspect someone else has, including calling 111 in immediate danger.
Who this course is for
New caregivers and support workers in aged care, home and community support and disability services.
Early childhood workers who want a plain introduction to boundaries with children and families, alongside their service's policies.
Experienced workers who want a refresher on everyday grey areas such as texting, gifts and favours.
How the course works
1. Friendly, but not friendsWhy a care relationship is different from a friendship, where the power sits, warning signs and whose rules apply to you.About 5 min, ending with a quick check
2. Gifts, money, loans and willsWhat to do when someone offers you a gift, cash, a loan, a deal or a place in their will, and how to handle money when it is part of the job.About 5 min, ending with a quick check
3. Phones, social media, stories and favoursPersonal numbers, texting, friend requests, posts, oversharing, favours and visits when you are off shift.About 5 min, ending with a quick check
4. Whānau, small communities and touchWhen you already know the person, when whānau and culture shape what is expected of you, and how consent applies to physical contact.About 6 min, ending with a quick check
5. When a line has been crossedWhat to do if you have crossed a line or suspect someone else has, and how to help a person who wants to complain.About 5 min, ending with a quick check
Sit the assessment15 questions drawn at random. You need 85% to pass, and there is no time limit. If you do not pass, you will see which topics to review, then try again with a new set of questions.Free, and so are retries
If you pass, the certificate is your choiceYou pay once, then get the PDF straight away and a copy by email. Your place is saved on this device the whole way, with no sign-up.NZ$24.90, optional
Sample. Yours shows your name, the course, the date and an ID anyone can check.
What this certificate does and does not show
This is general awareness drawn from official sources. It is not a qualification, and it does not replace your employer's induction or policies.
Much of the guidance it uses was written for nurses, social workers or teachers, and not everyone. If you are registered with one of those bodies, your own code applies to you, and this course does not explain your duties under it.
It does not teach safeguarding procedure, how to investigate or report abuse, or moving and handling. Your employer covers those.
It does not teach you to judge consent, capacity or legal matters such as wills and powers of attorney. When those come up, tell your supervisor and follow your organisation's policies.
It does not teach tikanga or any other cultural practice. It makes no claim about cultural safety, Ngā Paerewa, a licensing criterion or a funding contract, and it has no pay-equity value.
I am not a nurse or a social worker. Do these rules apply to me?
The Nursing Council's and the Social Workers Registration Board's documents are written for their own professions. We use them because they are clear and official. What applies to you is your employment agreement and your employer's policies, so ask to read them.
My employer has no policy on gifts or social media. What should I do?
Ask your supervisor what they expect, and keep a note of the answer. Until you know, do not decide alone: tell your supervisor about anything you are offered before you accept it.
Can I do this instead of my employer's induction?
No. This course gives background only. Your induction covers your employer's policies, the people you will support and what your role allows, so ask your employer what you need to complete.
Will my employer accept the certificate?
Each employer decides what it accepts, so ask before you pay anything. Studying here and sitting the assessment cost nothing, so asking first costs you nothing either.
Does this count towards Ngā Paerewa, licensing or pay equity?
We make no such claim. This course does not show that you or your employer meet Ngā Paerewa, a licensing criterion or a funding contract, and it is not designed to change your pay. Ask your employer or union about those.
Does this teach me how to report abuse?
No. It tells you to tell your supervisor and follow your organisation's process, and to call 111 if someone is in immediate danger. Ask your employer for its safeguarding or child protection policy, and for training on it.
Official sources behind this course
The lessons are original summaries of these sources. For your own situation, the source is what counts.
Contact us Health and Disability Commissioner. Checked 2026-11-07.
Make a complaint Health and Disability Commissioner. Checked 2026-11-07.
Online learning Health and Disability Commissioner. Checked 2026-11-07.
Version 1.1.0, last checked 2026-11-03. Approved for publication by our editor on 2026-11-09. Not reviewed by an external professional. How we check our content.
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