In a profession built on trust, how we present ourselves—our roles, affiliations, credentials, and even our opinions—matters. Social work isn’t just about what we do. It’s also about how we’re seen.
Section 4.06 of the NASW Code of Ethics lays out expectations around that public-facing side of our professional identity:
4.06 Misrepresentation
(a) Social workers should make clear distinctions between statements made and actions engaged in as a private individual and as a representative of the social work profession, a professional social work organization, or the social worker’s employing agency.
(b) Social workers who speak on behalf of professional social work organizations should accurately represent the official and authorized positions of these organizations.
(c) Social workers should ensure that their representations to clients, agencies, and the public of professional qualifications, credentials, education, competence, affiliations, services provided, or results to be achieved are accurate. Social workers should claim only those relevant professional credentials they actually possess and take steps to correct any inaccuracies or misrepresentations of their credentials by others.
Whether you’re speaking at a community event, updating your professional website, or chatting with a client, accuracy matters. Misrepresentation—intentional or not—can damage trust, mislead others, and lead to ethical violations.
This section of the Code reminds us to:
Speak for ourselves unless clearly authorized to speak for others
Accurately represent our credentials and roles
Take responsibility when false or misleading information is out there—especially if it benefits us
Don’t speak for your agency (unless you’re supposed to)
On the exam, look for questions where a social worker publicly expresses views on a controversial issue. The correct answer may clarify that the social worker should distinguish between personal opinion and official agency or profession-wide positions.
Don’t let your title do too much heavy lifting
You might see a question where a social worker refers to themselves as “Dr.” due to a PhD in another field. Unless that’s explained clearly to clients, this can be misleading—especially in clinical contexts.
Correct the record—even if you didn’t create the error
A client might refer to you as a psychologist. If you don’t clarify that you’re a social worker, that’s passive misrepresentation. The best answer will usually involve gently correcting the misunderstanding.
Be careful with promises
If a test scenario shows a social worker saying therapy will “cure” a client’s depression, that’s a red flag. Representing results inaccurately—even with good intentions—violates this standard.
How this might look on the licensing exam:
A licensed social worker is featured in a news article about a local community mental health initiative. In the interview, she expresses strong views on the causes of youth violence and identifies herself as a representative of the mental health agency where she works. She did not seek the agency’s approval before participating. What ethical concern is most relevant?
A. The social worker is engaging in dual relationships by being involved in the media.
B. The social worker should have distinguished between her personal views and the agency’s official position.
C. The social worker should not express opinions about controversial topics in public.
D. The social worker violated confidentiality by discussing youth violence.
Let’s break it down: A is off-topic—there’s no indication of a dual relationship; C is overly restrictive; social workers can speak publicly but must do so ethically.
D doesn’t apply—no confidential info was revealed. That means B is correct. The Code requires us to clarify when we’re speaking personally and when we’re speaking as a representative. Without that clarity, misrepresentation becomes an ethical concern.
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