Good Intentions, Real Impact: Ethics, Power & Practice

Support workers and allied health professionals are often placed in complex, high-pressure situations where the “right” thing to do isn’t clear, especially when systems are under-resourced and clients are in distress.

This workshop offers a practical, non-judgemental exploration of ethics in real-world practice, focusing on how power, boundaries, and scope of role show up in everyday carework. Rather than treating ethics as a rulebook or compliance exercise, we’ll look at ethics as a form of safeguarding for clients and for workers.

Designed for people who care deeply and want to do their work well without crossing lines that can cause harm in the future.

What we’ll cover:

Scope of practice

• What scope of practice actually means (beyond job descriptions)
• The risks of role drift and “stepping in” when systems fail
• Understanding the difference between being helpful and acting outside your role
• How to recognise when an issue needs escalation rather than individual action

Power imbalances and consent

• How power operates in support and therapeutic relationships
• Why consent is complicated in unequal relationships
• The limits of “the client asked me to” or “they agreed”
• Neurodivergence, trauma, compliance, and people-pleasing in consent dynamics

Ethics in everyday practice

• Ethics vs personal values vs organisational policy
• Common ethical grey areas (money, accommodation, transport, gifts, dual roles, after-hours support)
• Why good intentions don’t always equal ethical outcomes
• Holding boundaries without shame, blame, or rigidity

Legal and professional implications

• How ethical breaches can lead to legal, employment, or registration consequences
• Documentation and decision-making that protects workers as well as clients
• Understanding professional responsibility within a broken system
• When an ethical issue is a systems failure and how to respond safely

Who this workshop is for

• NDIS support workers
• Psychosocial peer support workers
• Case managers
• Allied health professionals (social workers, OTs, counsellors, psychologists, etc.)
• Anything interested in learning more about ethics, power and real world practice

About me :)

I’m a social worker in my fifth year of practice, with the past three years spent working in private practice. I also hold a Bachelor of Laws, which means my work is always grounded in a strong understanding of legal, ethical, and professional responsibility. I bring a practical, systems-aware approach to ethics, supporting workers to navigate real-world complexity while protecting both client wellbeing and professional integrity. I'm neurodivergent myself and I work with complex trauma presentations and eating disorders so I get it.