Case notes are an essential component of case management. Indeed, social work is heavily reliant on record keeping, which includes case notes.
They assist in making decisions and planning by helping to make sense of the details in a case. This is why most social workers are trained and strive to keep high-quality case notes in order to better assist their clients.
Furthermore, modern case management software for social workers assists caseworkers in creating better case notes.
What are Case Notes Exactly?
Case notes, as the name implies, are detailed notes about a specific case. This includes everything a caseworker sees and does in relation to a specific case. This includes information about other people involved besides the immediate client, meeting minutes, professional opinions, an analysis for the caseworker, and the action plans they recommend.
The clearer, more concise, and factual the case notes, the easier it is to use them in a case.
Why are Case Notes so Important?
Case management can benefit greatly from high-quality, accurate case notes. And it's critical to emphasize their significance, especially because taking notes has long been regarded as a time-consuming and tedious task.
While it is true that extensive documentation can consume a case worker's valuable time—time that could have been spent giving clients their full attention—the case notes do help provide better services in the long run.
They aid in the identification of patterns, the exploration of new plans of action, and are ideal for research purposes.
Best Practices for Case Notes 
Writing case notes can be difficult, but it is an important skill that social workers must learn early in their careers.
Here are a few simple guidelines to help you create cohesive and clear case notes.
- Always make time for case notes throughout the day instead of trying to fit them into your schedule at the end of the day.
- Keep them brief, unambiguous and write them in an easy-to-read format
- Leave out unnecessary details—stick to facts and relevant details only
- Keep your case notes super organized
- Make sure they’re always secure
One way to keep case notes secure and organized is by recording them using a reliable social services case management software like FAMCare.
Who We Are
Global Vision Technologies, the developers of FAMCare, is an industry leader for nonprofit case management software. For over 20 years we have been helping agencies integrate best practice data collection and workflow processes.
Our goal is to support your mission of providing superior outcomes for those your serve. Here are some other recommended reading from our FAMCare Blog, that we hope you find helpful:
4 Time Management Tips for Social Workers
The Art and Science of Social Work
Technology...The Heart of The Matter
