How might professional workers misuse power in ways that are harmful to clients? Describe ways that the potential for power misuse could be minimised.

"Carers tend to hold various kinds of power and those being cared for tend to be vulnerable to misuse of that power" (Unit 20, p123). In this essay I shall explain how professional workers may misuse power in ways that could harm clients or service users. I will use relevant course materials to identify a range of examples of power misuse and look at ways in which to minimise this and demonstrate how they would operate. …

…Care, Offprints Book, Milton Keynes, The Open University. K100 Course Team (1998) K100 Understanding Health and Social Care, Unit 20, Power and Vulnerability in Care Relationships, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Smith. J, (2002) Care standards act, Guidance on Staffing Levels in Care Homes, available from http://www.dh.gov.uk/ (accessed 01 August 2004) Wardhaugh. J., Wilding. P., Towards an Explanation of the Corruption of Care, in Allot, M and Robb, M (1998) Understanding health and social care, London: Sage.