Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 24, 2026

1. Who We Are

Welcome to WeSocialWork.

WeSocialWork is operated by Laurel Iverson Hitchcock Consulting, LLC, doing business as WeSocialWork. We create and share publications, practical resources, and professional learning opportunities for social workers, educators, students, and other helping professionals.

Our website is currently available at https://wesocialwork.ghost.io/ and will transition to https://wesocialwork.com/.

We respect your privacy and are committed to handling personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when it may be shared, and the choices available to you.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information when you voluntarily interact with our website or services.

Information you provide directly

Depending on how you interact with WeSocialWork, this may include:

  • Your name and email address when subscribing to our newsletter or registering for a free membership.
  • Information submitted through contact forms, including your name, email address, inquiry topic, and message.
  • Poems, photographs, memories, stories, and other materials submitted for publication or consideration.
  • Information provided when requesting resources, participating in learning opportunities, or communicating with us.
  • Correspondence and other information you voluntarily share.

Please do not submit confidential client information, protected health information, or other sensitive personal information through our public website or contact forms.

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, our hosting platform and service providers may process certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages requested, and other information needed to operate and secure the website.

We may also collect website usage information through Ghost's built-in analytics features.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

  • Operate, maintain, and improve the WeSocialWork website.
  • Provide access to publications, resources, and other website content.
  • Manage newsletter subscriptions and free memberships.
  • Respond to questions, inquiries, and requests.
  • Review and manage submitted poems, photographs, stories, and other contributions.
  • Communicate updates about WeSocialWork publications, resources, and professional learning opportunities.
  • Understand website usage and improve visitors' experiences.
  • Maintain website security, prevent misuse, and comply with applicable legal obligations.

We use information for purposes consistent with the reason it was collected.

4. Newsletter Subscriptions and Memberships

WeSocialWork uses Ghost to manage website memberships and email newsletters.

When you subscribe or register as a member, we may collect your email address, name if provided, subscription preferences, and information related to your membership.

We may send newsletters, announcements, and updates about WeSocialWork activities, publications, and resources.

You may unsubscribe from newsletters at any time using the unsubscribe link included in our emails.

You may also contact us to request assistance with your membership or personal information.

5. Contact Forms and Google Forms

WeSocialWork may use Google Forms to collect contact inquiries, feedback, poetry submissions, and other voluntary contributions.

When you complete a form, the information you submit may be processed and stored through Google's services and made available to authorized WeSocialWork administrators.

Depending on the form's settings, Google may also process information associated with your interaction with the form.

We use submitted information for the purposes identified on the relevant form, such as responding to an inquiry or reviewing a contribution.

For more information about Google's privacy practices, please visit https://policies.google.com/privacy.

6. Poems, Photographs, and Memorial Contributions

WeSocialWork maintains content honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Melanie Sage, including poems written in her remembrance.

Individuals may voluntarily submit poems, photographs, memories, stories, or other materials for consideration.

When submitting memorial content, please be aware that:

  • We may collect the contributor's name, contact information, and submitted materials.
  • We may contact contributors to clarify submissions or obtain permission before publication.
  • Approved contributions may be published publicly on the WeSocialWork website.
  • Published contributions may include the contributor's name or preferred attribution.
  • Publicly available materials may be viewed, shared, or indexed by search engines.

Submitting material does not automatically guarantee publication. WeSocialWork reserves the right to review submissions and determine whether they are appropriate for the website.

Contributors should submit only materials they have the right to share and should respect the privacy of others mentioned or depicted.

If you have concerns about a published contribution or wish to request its removal, please contact us through our website.

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website is hosted using Ghost(Pro).

Ghost and related services may use cookies or similar technologies when necessary to support website functionality, including membership access, authentication, and security.

We may use Ghost's built-in, first-party analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Ghost's native web analytics are designed to operate without analytics cookies or persistent identifiers used to track visitors across browsing sessions.

When a registered member is signed in, certain content interactions may be associated with that membership to help us understand engagement and improve our offerings.

Third-party services embedded on our website may use their own cookies or tracking technologies.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings, although disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

8. Embedded Content and External Websites

Our website may contain embedded content, such as videos, forms, images, or other materials provided by third-party services.

Embedded content may function as though you visited the third-party website directly. These providers may collect information about your interaction with their content in accordance with their own privacy policies.

WeSocialWork also links to external websites, including Things Social Workers Say at https://socialworkerssay.com/.

External websites maintain their own privacy policies and practices. We encourage you to review those policies before providing personal information or making purchases.

WeSocialWork is not responsible for the privacy practices of independently operated external websites.

9. How We Share Information

We may share personal information with service providers when necessary to operate the website and provide requested services.

These may include:

  • Ghost(Pro): Website hosting, membership management, newsletters, and website analytics.
  • Google: Contact forms, submission forms, and associated information storage.
  • Other service providers: Services used to maintain website functionality, security, or communications.

We may also disclose information when required by law, to respond to valid legal requests, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of WeSocialWork and others.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

10. How Long We Retain Information

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, maintain our services, comply with applicable legal obligations, and resolve disputes.

Examples include:

  • Newsletter and membership information: Retained while your membership or subscription remains active, subject to applicable retention requirements.
  • Contact inquiries: Retained as needed to respond to requests and maintain appropriate business records.
  • Submitted poems and memorial materials: Retained as needed to review, publish, and preserve approved contributions, unless removal is requested and appropriate.
  • Website technical and analytics information: Retained according to the applicable settings and retention practices of our website platform and service providers.

Information may be retained longer when necessary for legitimate business purposes or legal obligations.

11. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information we maintain.

You may also:

  • Unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter communications.
  • Request changes to your membership information.
  • Contact us about information submitted through forms.
  • Request review or removal of memorial contributions that contain your personal information or materials you submitted.
  • Ask questions about how your information is collected or used.

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

Some information may need to be retained for legal, administrative, security, or other legitimate purposes.

12. Information Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information and rely on established service providers to support the security of our website and related services.

However, no website, electronic communication, or data storage system can guarantee absolute security.

Please avoid sending confidential or sensitive information through public forms or ordinary email communications.

13. Children's Privacy

WeSocialWork is intended primarily for social work professionals, educators, students, and other adults interested in our resources.

Our website is not directed toward children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly solicit personal information from children under 13.

If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child under 13 without appropriate authorization, we will take reasonable steps to address the situation.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our website, services, technology, or legal requirements.

When changes are made, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Significant changes may also be communicated through our website or other appropriate channels.

We encourage visitors to review this policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, would like to exercise applicable privacy rights, or have concerns about information shared through our website, please contact us through our Stay Connected page.

WeSocialWork
Operated by Laurel Iverson Hitchcock Consulting, LLC

Contact WeSocialWork →