Crossing Professional Line or supporting a friend?

[TurnTables]

I'm confused. Me and my DH are CM's. We had a meeting with other cm's in the area but my DH got a call from a parent who has been going through a tough time recently. He was in tears. So my DH went over to give him support. Early years say that he shouldn't have done this as that was crossing the professional line. Now we have become friends with the family. Have others done the same with their clients or is becoming friends a no no. Does this mean that we are not allowed to get together socially at all? Anyone else get told off over something similar or do you think it's ok to make friends with clients?

Quite frankly it's got sod all to do with anyone else, and it's not for Early Years to tell you off.

I've minded for friends before, and for my sister. That's the same situation in reverse. Should I have stopped having social contact with them because I was their CM? Of course not.

Tell them to butt out. Being professional doesn't mean you can't make friends with your clients if you want to. Good for 'partnership with parents' too

Surely, it's your own business and no one else's if you make friends with the parents or not.

I have got friendly with many of the parents and do socialise, occasionally, with some of them. Also, I have looked after children whose parents were friends first.

Sometimes, it makes talking about certain CM issues a little bit tricky but on the whole it hasn't caused me any major problems.

He was doing some partnership working. Early Years should be pleased.

If Early Years are claiming the right ti chose your friends and dictate the level of support that you offer, then I would say that they have crossed the professional line into unwanted interference.

Echo Tanith :/

Agree with all the others, I've been there to support parents when needed and actually socialise with a few of them and if Early Years said it wasn't right, I'd tell them to mind their own business! A lot of these parents have been with me over 5 years and it's hard not to becomes friends after this long!

Another that echos Tanith & Looneytune.

I personally dont have any of my parents on my FB nor do I socalise with them, Its hard to keep a distance tho isnt it, especially as Looney says if you have looked after their children for a few years.
Children and parents have a habit Ive found, of dropping little snippets/bombshells every now and then with regard to their family life, which sometimes makes me think TMI/Im not sure I want to know that/do you realise what youve just told me? iyswim..