1.2. Give examples from own practice of pressures on the management of caseloads

This guide will help you answer 1.2. Give examples from own practice of pressures on the management of caseloads.

The management of caseloads can be challenging due to a variety of pressures professionals face daily when supporting children, young people, and families. These pressures can come from both internal factors, such as balancing workloads, and external influences, such as policy changes or limited resources. Understanding these challenges, and reflecting on examples from practice, highlights why effective strategies are essential to ensure the best outcomes for those we support.

High Volume of Cases

One of the most common pressures is managing a high number of cases at once. For example, in my practice as a childcare professional, I previously supported a group of young people who were at risk of school exclusion. While working with one young person, Joe, to implement behaviour interventions, I received three additional cases, each requiring immediate attention.

The sudden increase in workload caused difficulties in focusing adequately on each case. Supporting Joe needed time to build trust and understand his challenges, but with additional cases piling up, the risk of rushing vital steps became greater.

High case volumes often mean:

• Less time for individualised care
• Increased likelihood of mistakes in record-keeping
• Reduced time for reflective practice or forward planning

The consequence of this pressure was a constant feeling of not having enough hours in the day to meet all responsibilities effectively.

Tight Deadlines

Deadlines tied to certain tasks create significant pressure in managing caseloads. For example, when submitting referrals to external agencies or writing reports for court proceedings, tight turnaround times can add stress.

In one case, I was working with a young girl, Olivia, whose family situation required urgent intervention. There was a strict deadline for completing a safeguarding referral form. At the same time, I needed to prepare a review report for another family being assessed for foster care. Balancing these urgent deadlines made it difficult to give both cases the attention they needed in the same timeframe.

Key impacts of tight deadlines include:

• Increased stress levels
• Risk of rushing work, leading to incomplete or inaccurate information
• Prioritising urgent work over important long-term actions

While support from team members helped alleviate some of the strain, this situation highlighted how unmanageable deadlines could disrupt overall case management.

Emotional Demands

Working with children and young people often brings emotional pressures. Supporting individuals who are experiencing trauma, abuse, or neglect is emotionally draining.

For example, I worked with a boy named Liam who disclosed domestic violence within his home. While arranging for him to receive counselling and secure temporary safe accommodation, I found it emotionally difficult to balance this case with my other responsibilities.

The emotional demands caused challenges such as:

• Feeling drained, which impacted my concentration on other cases
• Experiencing emotional detachment or, conversely, becoming overly involved
• Difficulty switching focus between cases with different types of needs

This pressure reflects how the nature of certain cases can take a personal toll and disrupt effective case load management.

Complex Cases Requiring Additional Time

Some cases are more complex than others, requiring extra time and attention. For example, I worked with a young person, Sara, who had special educational needs (SEN) alongside safeguarding concerns. In this case, I needed to arrange multidisciplinary meetings, develop an education, health, and care plan (EHCP), and engage with multiple professionals, such as paediatricians and teachers.

Managing such a complicated case took longer than anticipated, meaning that routine tasks for other cases were often delayed.

Complex cases can create pressures like:

• Extended periods spent on meetings, paperwork, or assessments
• Delegating more “straightforward” cases to others, which impacts team dynamics
• Less availability to provide immediate responses to other cases

These situations challenge professionals to stay organised and proactive, but they often highlight the strain placed on resources and time for complex situations.

Staffing Shortages

A lack of staff in teams also contributes to pressures on case load management. For instance, I experienced a period where two members of our team were on long-term sick leave. During that time, the remaining staff had to take on their caseloads in addition to our own.

An example from my practice involved a time when I was already overseeing eight cases, but I had to take on three more due to a colleague’s absence. This increased my workload dramatically, which led to delays in my ability to carry out home visits or follow up on action plans quickly.

Staffing shortages result in:

• Heavier workloads for remaining staff
• Lower morale and teamwork frustrations
• Increased potential for errors or forgotten details

This situation illustrated how understaffing heavily impacts the workload of those still on duty, leading to pressures that are difficult to manage sustainably.

Limited Resources or Budget Cuts

Lack of access to sufficient resources, funding, or services creates significant pressure. For example, I worked with a teenager, Aiden, who required mental health support for anxiety and self-harm. While waiting for a CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) referral, the waiting list was over 6 months long. This left me having to find interim resources or strategies to keep the young person safe and supported.

The delays and restrictions meant I had to:

• Spend more time researching voluntary services or external charities
• Face frustration from the family, which added to the emotional strain
• Divert time away from other cases to compensate for gaps in services

This pressure is incredibly common, especially when working in areas where resources are stretched thin across high numbers of children and young people in need.

Changes to Legislation or Policies

Policy changes can also place pressures on managing caseloads. For example, when the SEND Code of Practice was updated, my organisation implemented new procedures to ensure compliance.

During this transition, I had to rework several existing care plans to align with the new guidelines, which consumed time that could have been spent addressing more immediate issues. Adjusting to policy changes created additional tasks alongside ongoing case management responsibilities.

This type of pressure is reflective of how external changes can temporarily overwhelm workers, even when such changes are ultimately positive.

Dealing with Family Conflict or Objection

Conflicts or disagreements with families can disrupt case management. For example, I worked with a young person whose parents objected to a safeguarding referral being made against them. This conflict involved additional meetings, emails, and time spent de-escalating tensions while remaining focused on the child’s welfare.

Family disputes can lead to pressures such as:

• Increased workload from mediating and communicating between parties
• Emotional stress from handling conflict situations
• Delays in accessing agreement for key interventions

This pressure demands patience and strong communication skills, but it can significantly slow progress on resolving cases.

Balancing Record-Keeping with Direct Work

Another pressure in caseload management is balancing the administrative side of the role with direct, face-to-face interaction. For instance, accurate case note recording is crucial, but it often takes time away from building relationships with children or observing their surroundings.

In one example, I spent an entire day completing overdue case notes, which delayed me from attending a planned visit with one of the families on my caseload. Such trade-offs often create immense personal frustration.

Time spent on admin tasks frequently:

• Decreases the time available for meaningful engagement with children
• Adds stress if deadlines are approaching for multiple cases
• Leads to potential gaps in notes, which can become problematic later

This reflects how balancing documentation with hands-on support is an ongoing challenge under pressure.

Final Thoughts

Pressures on the management of caseloads are varied and interconnected. High volumes, tight deadlines, staff shortages, emotional challenges, and systemic limitations all contribute to the daily stresses of working with children and young people. Reflecting on our personal practice may not remove the pressures. However, it helps us understand where we can make changes or ask for better systems of support. Managing these challenges thoughtfully ensures that we continue to advocate for the best outcomes for the children and young people in our care.