Principle VII: Advertising and Communications

Advertising and other communications are intended to inform and educate the public about available social work and social service work services. College registrants shall ensure that all their advertising and communications are compatible with the standards and ethics of the social work and social service work professions.

7.1 Advertising and Communications 

7.1.1 Registrants may advertise their services through public statements, announcements, digital or print media, social media, or promotional activities provided that the advertising or communications: 

• are not false or misleading, and that any factual information is verifiable; 
• do not disclose confidential information; 
• do not bring the professions or College into disrepute; 
• do not compare services with other College registrants; 
• do not display any affiliation with an organization or association in a manner that falsely implies that organization’s sponsorship or certification; 
• do not claim uniqueness or special advantage unsupported by professional or scientific evidence; and 
• are in good taste.

7.1.2 College registrants shall not solicit clients for endorsements, reviews or testimonials or ask clients to “like” or “share” their online accounts or platforms. (See also Interpretation 2.2.1) 

7.1.3 College registrants may disclose their fees in advertising. If fees are advertised, College registrants shall also include information about the circumstances in which additional fees may be charged for the services advertised. 

7.1.4 College registrants shall only represent themselves as having expertise in certain areas of practice if they can provide evidence to the satisfaction of the College of specialized training, extensive experience and/or education.

7.1.5 College registrants shall not make false, misleading or exaggerated claims of efficacy regarding past or anticipated achievements with respect to clients, scholarly pursuits or contributions to society.

7.1.6 College registrants shall correct, whenever possible, false, misleading or inaccurate information, or representations made by others concerning their qualifications or services.

7.1.7 College registrants shall not solicit prospective clients in ways that are misleading, that disadvantage fellow registrants, or that discredit the professions of social work or social service work.

7.1.8 College registrants shall describe their education, training, experience, areas of competence, professional affiliations and services honestly and accurately.

7.2 Titles and Designations

7.2.1 College registrants shall use one or more of the following designations, titles, abbreviations or French equivalents on business cards, letterhead stationery, forms, professional websites and social media profiles, business telephone listings, digital or print directories, signs and identification of business premises, and/or other communications with clients and/or the public: 

Social work registrants: 

• “social worker”; or 
• “registered social worker”; or 
• “RSW”. 

Social service work registrants: 

• “social service worker”; or 
• “registered social service worker”; or 
• “RSSW”. 

These titles and/or designations are required to immediately follow the College registrant’s name as it appears on the Register. College registrants’ highest academic degree or diploma (when listed) should precede their designation and/or title. College registrants may use their Indigenous names in addition to their name as it appears on the Register. College registrants may choose to include an optional one-line description of their area of limited practice or areas of focus following their name, designation and/or title. 

7.2.2 A College registrant who holds an inactive certificate of registration shall not engage in the practice of social work or social service work in Ontario. 

Social work registrants who hold an inactive certificate of registration shall identify themselves in one of the following ways: 

• social worker (inactive); or 
• registered social worker (inactive); or 
• RSW (inactive).

Social service work registrants who hold an inactive certificate of registration shall identify themselves in one of the following ways: 

• social service worker (inactive); or 
• registered social service worker (inactive); or 
• RSSW (inactive).

7.2.3 College registrants who hold a retired certificate of registration shall not engage in the practice of social work or social service work in Ontario. 

Social work registrants who hold a retired certificate of registration shall identify themselves in one of the following ways: 

• social worker (retired); or 
• registered social worker (retired); or 
• RSW (retired). 

Social service work registrants who hold a retired certificate of registration shall identify themselves in one of the following ways: 

• social service worker (retired); or 
• registered social service worker (retired); or 
• RSSW (retired).

7.2.4 A College registrant who is authorized to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy may use the title “psychotherapist” after their full name, if they comply with the conditions set out in section 47.2 of the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, 1998, as indicated below: 

Social work registrants who are authorized to use the title “psychotherapist” may do so in one of the following ways: 

• Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, RSW, Psychotherapist; or 
• Social Worker, Psychotherapist; or 
• Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist. 

Social service work registrants who are authorized to use the title “psychotherapist” may do so in one of the following ways: 

• Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, RSSW, Psychotherapist; or 
• Social Service Worker, Psychotherapist; or 
• Registered Social Service Worker, Psychotherapist.

7.2.5 Where a College registrant holds an earned doctorate in social work, as defined in Interpretation 7.2.7, they may use either, but not both, of the following: 

• the degree in addition to the designation or title listed in Interpretation 7.2.1; or 
• the title “Doctor” or “Dr.”, as a prefix, if it is followed by the registrant’s full name, and immediately followed by one of (i), (ii) or (iii), as follows: 

(i) Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers together with RSW, in the case of a social worker, or RSSW, in the case of a social service worker, 

(ii) social worker or registered social worker, or 

(iii) social service worker or registered social service worker. 

7.2.6 Where a College registrant does not hold an earned doctorate in social work, as defined in Interpretation 7.2.7, but does hold a doctoral degree in a field other than social work, they may: 

• identify their doctoral degree, in addition to the designation and/or titles listed in Interpretation 7.2.1, in any advertising and/or communications that are listed in Interpretation 7.2.1; 

or 

• use the title “Doctor” or “Dr.”, as a prefix, in addition to the designation or title listed in Interpretation 7.2.1, except in relation to any advertising and/or communications with clients or to the public when providing or offering to provide health care in Ontario. 

For greater clarity, College registrants who do not have a doctoral degree in social work, as defined in Interpretation 7.2.7, shall not use the title “Doctor” or “Dr” when practising the profession if the scope of services they provide or offer to provide to the public include the provision of health care. In this context, health care means to maintain or restore physical, mental, or emotional well-being. 

7.2.7 “Earned doctorate” means a doctoral degree in social work that is: 

• granted by a post-secondary educational institution authorized in Ontario to grant the degree under an Act of the Assembly, including a person that is authorized to grant the degree pursuant to the consent of the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities under the Post- secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000; or 
• granted by a post-secondary educational institution in a Canadian province or territory other than Ontario and that is considered by the College to be equivalent to a doctoral degree described in the first bullet or 
• granted by a post-secondary educational institution located in a country other than Canada that is considered by the College to be equivalent to a doctoral degree described in the first bullet.

7.2.8 College registrants practising the profession of social work or social service work through a business, partnership or professional corporation shall use one of the following acceptable naming options, as applicable: 

i) a list of the names of the partners, with College registrants listed as indicated in Interpretation 7.2.1; or 

ii) a partnership title containing: 

a) the surnames or full names of two or more actual partners; or 

b) where there are three or more actual partners, the surnames or full names may be used with the term “and Associate” or “and Associates” as appropriate; or 

iii) a partnership title as above with an individual listing of the College registrants’ names and acceptable vocational designations (see Interpretation 7.2.1); or 

iv) where an unincorporated business, the business name with an individual listing of the College registrants’ names and acceptable vocational designations (see Interpretation 7.2.1); or 

v) where a professional corporation, the corporate name of the professional corporation; or 

vi) where a professional corporation, the corporate name of the professional corporation with an individual listing of the names of the College registrants who are shareholders and acceptable title designations (see Interpretation 7.2.1); or 

vii) where a professional corporation has a practice name other than its corporate name, the practice name together with the corporate name of the professional corporation; or 

viii) where a professional corporation has a practice name other than its corporate name, the practice name together with the corporate name of the professional corporation and an individual listing of the names of the College registrants who are shareholders and acceptable vocational designations (see Interpretation 7.2.1).