30 ChatGPT Prompts for Social Workers: Case Notes, Referrals and Supervision
Case notes, handovers, referrals, supervision and hard conversations. Never paste client names, dates of birth, addresses or case numbers. Follow your agency AI policy. Drafts to check, not clinical or legal advice.
In short: This page contains 30 copy-paste ready prompts, organized into 6 categories with a description and pro tip for each. The first 5 prompts are free instantly, no signup needed. Drafted with AI writing assistance and checked against our editorial policy.
Case note structure
5 promptsDAP Note From Rough Notes
1/30✨ What it does
Turns rough visit notes into a DAP note with Data, Assessment and Plan sections under 200 words. Check each line against what you saw in the visit, and clear every [VERIFY] tag before the note goes on file.
Here are my rough notes from a visit: [DE-IDENTIFIED NOTES]. I have already removed names, dates of birth, addresses and case numbers. Rewrite the notes as a DAP note with three labelled sections: Data (what was seen or said), Assessment (my professional view in one short paragraph) and Plan (next steps, with who and when). Keep it under 200 words, in plain past tense and person-first language. Tag every gap with [VERIFY] rather than filling it, and invent no details, times or quotes.
Pro tip: Write the notes in your own shorthand. The model tidies the wording but must not add facts.
Strengths-Based Progress Summary
2/30✨ What it does
Scores a draft progress summary for strengths-based and person-first language, then offers a neutral rewrite that keeps every fact. Use the scores to find the lines to rework, and check the rewrite against your file before you copy it.
Read my draft progress summary and score it from 1 to 5 on strengths-based language, person-first wording, clarity and objectivity. Draft: [PASTE DRAFT WITHOUT IDENTIFIERS]. Then rewrite it in 150 words or fewer, keeping every fact and swapping deficit labels such as 'non-compliant' for specific, neutral description. List each sentence that states an opinion as fact. Output the scores as a table, then the rewrite. Any missing detail gets a [VERIFY] tag, and you must invent no facts or outcomes.
Pro tip: Score one draft at a time. Long summaries score better when they are split by goal.
Case Note Format Chooser
3/30✨ What it does
Compares DAP, SOAP and BIRP for one session type and picks the best fit with a reason. Check the pick against your agency's format rule, because a format your team does not use helps no one.
I need to record a [SESSION TYPE] and I am unsure whether to write it as a DAP, SOAP or BIRP note. My agency's rule: [AGENCY RULE OR NONE]. I describe the session in general terms only. Give three format options for a session focused on [SESSION FOCUS]. For each, list its headings and say in one sentence what it suits. Then pick one and give the reason in 40 words or fewer. If my rule is missing, tag the gap [VERIFY] and tell me to check the policy, and invent no agency rules.
Pro tip: Tell the model your agency rule first. If you do not know it, check the policy before you choose.
Interview Me for a Case Note
4/30✨ What it does
Asks five questions in turn, then writes a 120-word case note from your answers. Read the note against what happened in the visit and settle each [VERIFY] line before you save it.
Ask me exactly five questions, one at a time, to collect what I need for a case note about a [VISIT TYPE] visit. Wait for my answer after each question. Cover what was observed, what the person said in their own words, any risk I noticed, the agreed next step and who owns it. After my fifth answer, write the note in 120 words under the headings Observed, Said, Risk and Next step. I will use general terms only, with no names or case numbers. Tag any gap with [VERIFY], and invent no detail I did not give you.
Pro tip: Answer with short factual notes. The model writes the full sentences.
Note Quality Checklist
5/30✨ What it does
Checks a case note against nine points on clarity, completeness and neutral wording, marking each Yes, No or Unclear. Use the three top fixes to edit the note yourself, and confirm any [VERIFY] item from your own records.
Check this case note against a nine-point checklist: [PASTE NOTE WITHOUT IDENTIFIERS]. The nine points are: date and time of contact, purpose stated, who was present in general terms, observations kept apart from interpretation, the person's own words quoted accurately, risk noted, agreed next step, a named owner, and neutral wording with no judgement. Mark each point Yes, No or Unclear in a table with one line of reason. Then list the three fixes that matter most. Tag each missing point with [VERIFY] instead of filling the gap, and invent no facts.
Pro tip: Run it on finished notes. It catches the gaps that tired writing hides.
Handovers and transitions
5 promptsCaseload Handover Summary
6/30✨ What it does
Writes a numbered handover entry for each person on a caseload, with goal, open tasks, last contact and a week-one action. Check every due date against your diary before the colleague starts.
Build a handover for a colleague taking over my caseload of [NUMBER] people. I have already removed names, dates of birth, addresses and case numbers and labelled each person Person A, Person B. Do not ask me for names. Notes: [DE-IDENTIFIED CASELOAD NOTES]. For each person write a numbered entry with four parts: current goal, open tasks with due dates, last contact, and one action for the colleague in week one. Keep each entry under 60 words and end with a short list of open questions. Tag anything I did not state with [VERIFY], and invent no dates or tasks.
Pro tip: Use Person A and Person B labels so no name ever reaches the model.
Week-by-Week Transition Plan
7/30✨ What it does
Lays out a twelve-week transition plan as a table, with one row per week, the people involved and a check-in point. Confirm every service and timing locally, since the model cannot know what is available where you work.
Plan the move of a young person from [CURRENT SETTING] to [NEXT SETTING] over twelve weeks. Both settings are described in general terms, without names or dates. Start from the goal in the person's own words: [GOAL IN THEIR WORDS]. Give one table row per week with the columns Week, Focus, People involved, Task and Check-in point. Add a line on the person's choice at each step, so the plan stays person-led. Tag every service or timing I did not name with [VERIFY] so I can check local availability, and invent no services, placement names or timelines.
Pro tip: Write the goal in the person's own words, then ask the model to keep it.
Discharge Planning Checklist
8/30✨ What it does
Produces a grouped discharge checklist covering housing, benefits, health contacts, support and what the person was told. Use it to shape your process, and confirm each local service before you tick it off.
Give me a discharge planning checklist for a person leaving [SERVICE TYPE] after [LENGTH OF STAY IN GENERAL TERMS]. I give only general terms here. Group the items under five headings: housing, income and benefits, health contacts, support network and what the person was told. Give three to five tick-box items under each heading, each written as one plain action. Keep the whole checklist under 250 words. Tag any item that depends on local rules or a named service with [VERIFY], and invent no eligibility rules or service names.
Pro tip: Tick items as you go and keep the list on file, so the next worker sees what is done.
Rewrite for a Receiving Team
9/30✨ What it does
Shortens a long case summary into a 100-word note for a receiving team, with only the facts they need to act. Check the consent line and every date yourself, because those decide what the team does next.
Rewrite the case summary below for a housing team who will act on it, not read the full history. Summary: [DE-IDENTIFIED CASE SUMMARY]. I have already removed names and identifiers. Keep only what the team needs to act: the referral reason, the current need in general terms, the consent status and the earliest date they must act by. Use short sentences, no jargon, and 100 words at most. If something is missing, leave a blank and tag it [VERIFY]. Invent no consent, dates or needs.
Pro tip: Ask the receiving team what they need first. Their list beats your full history.
Open Actions Table
10/30✨ What it does
Sorts open case actions into a table by due date and flags any row with no owner or date. Fill the [VERIFY] rows with your team in the meeting, not from memory afterwards.
Turn my list of open actions into a table for the team meeting. My list, which I have already de-identified: [DE-IDENTIFIED ACTION LIST]. Columns: Action, Owner (role only), Due date, Status and Blocker. Sort the rows by due date, earliest first. Put any action with no owner or no date in a second table titled Needs an owner. Tag each gap [VERIFY] so the team fills it in before the meeting, and invent no owners, due dates or blockers.
Pro tip: Write owners as roles, such as housing officer, so the table never needs a name.
Resources and referrals
5 promptsLocal Resource List Template
11/30✨ What it does
Gives you a blank resource list layout with five entries for one need and one area, with fields for contact details and eligibility. Each entry is filled from a local source, because no service name or number comes from the model.
Build a resource list template for a person who needs help with [NEED IN GENERAL TERMS] in [AREA]. Each entry uses these fields: Service name, Type of help, What it covers, Who can use it, How to contact, Last checked date. Create five blank entries and fill only the headings and the general type of help, for example 'food support' or 'legal aid'. Mark every field I must confirm locally with [VERIFY], and invent no service names, phone numbers, addresses or eligibility rules. I describe the need and area in general terms only.
Pro tip: Keep a Last checked date on every row. Stale contact details cause missed referrals.
Pre-Referral Call Questions
12/30✨ What it does
Lists ten questions to put to a service before you refer someone, grouped by access, timing, fit and follow-up, with blank answer lines. Record the answers in your file, since they differ from one office to the next.
Write ten questions I should ask a [SERVICE TYPE] before I refer someone to it. Do not include any client details. Group the questions under Access, Timing, Fit and Follow-up. Each question is one short line I can read aloud on a phone call, followed by a blank answer line. Those answers come from the service itself, so invent nothing about its offer, waiting times or eligibility. Tag any question that depends on local law with [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Ask the same questions of two services so you can compare the answers fairly.
Housing Referral Letter Draft
13/30✨ What it does
Drafts a 150-word referral letter to a housing service with the reason, the need and what you ask them to do. Send it only once the person knows what is shared and has agreed, and fill every [VERIFY] field from your file first.
Draft a referral letter from me, a [JOB TITLE] at [TEAM NAME], to a housing service. Refer to the person only as [LABEL SUCH AS PERSON A]. Use this order: greeting, reason for referral in two sentences, the need in general terms, what I have already done, what I ask the service to do, and my contact details. Keep it under 150 words in plain English. Tag each missing fact [VERIFY] for me to complete, and invent no date, diagnosis, outcome or earlier referral.
Pro tip: Keep the letter factual. Name the need, not the history behind it.
Interagency Meeting Brief
14/30✨ What it does
Turns the facts you have into a one-page brief for an interagency meeting, with purpose, what each agency brings, open questions and the decision needed. Confirm each agency's role with its own worker before the meeting.
Prepare a one-page brief for an interagency meeting about [CASE TYPE IN GENERAL TERMS] with [AGENCIES INVOLVED]. Use only the facts I list here, which I have already de-identified: [MEETING FACTS]. Give four parts: the purpose in one line, what each agency needs to bring, three questions to settle, and the decision we must reach. Keep it under 300 words. Tag any unknown with [VERIFY], and invent no agency role, meeting date or decision already made.
Pro tip: Name the decision you need first. Meetings without a decision tend to run on.
Compare Two Referral Routes
15/30✨ What it does
Compares two referral routes in a table on speed, paperwork, risks and fit, then names the route to raise first. Treat the pick as a draft for discussion with the person and your supervisor, since the table only holds what you typed.
Compare two referral routes for a person who needs [NEED IN GENERAL TERMS]. Route A: [ROUTE A IN GENERAL TERMS]. Route B: [ROUTE B IN GENERAL TERMS]. Build a table with the rows Speed, Who it suits, Paperwork, Risks and Questions to ask, and one column per route. Then give a single paragraph of 80 words or fewer on which route to raise first, and name the one fact that would change that choice. Tag each unknown [VERIFY], and invent no speeds or eligibility for either route.
Pro tip: Describe each route in general terms, then check the real waiting time with the service.
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Plain-language decisions
5 promptsExplain a Decision Plainly
16/30✨ What it does
Rewrites a formal decision as a 120-word plain-English explanation covering what was decided, why, next steps and how to disagree. Check the reason and the appeal route against the official letter before you share it.
Explain this decision to the person in plain English, at about an 11-year-old reading level: [DECISION IN GENERAL TERMS]. I describe the decision in general terms. Cover what was decided, why, what the person can do next and who to contact if they disagree. Write to 'you', in short sentences with no jargon, and keep it under 120 words. Say that the decision belongs to the agency that made it. Tag each missing item [VERIFY] so I can add the official wording, and invent no reason, deadline or appeal route.
Pro tip: Paste a plain version of the official reason, not your own guess at it.
Compare Two Letter Wordings
17/30✨ What it does
Compares two wordings of the same decision letter on clarity, tone, length and missing information, then picks one to send. Read the chosen version against the official decision, since the table only compares the text you paste.
Compare two versions of a letter explaining a [DECISION TYPE] decision. Version A: [PASTE VERSION A WITHOUT IDENTIFIERS]. Version B: [PASTE VERSION B WITHOUT IDENTIFIERS]. Build a table with the rows Clarity, Tone, Length, Missing information and Risk of confusion, and one column per version. Then say which version to send and add one sentence I should include. Tag any gap with [VERIFY], and invent no facts that appear in neither version.
Pro tip: Paste versions with identifiers removed, so the comparison stays on wording.
Court Report Outline
18/30✨ What it does
Gives a heading-by-heading outline for a court report, with one line on what each section holds and one on what to leave out. Use it for structure only, and check the local court format and legal wording with your team or the court office.
Give me an outline for a court report on [REPORT TYPE], using a common structure: introduction and purpose, background in general terms, what has happened since, needs and risks, the views of the person, recommendations and sources. Under each heading write one line on what goes there and one line on what to leave out. This is drafting help only, because I write the facts from my own records, and I use no names or identifiers. Tag anything about local law or court practice [VERIFY], and invent no legal tests, statutory wording or outcomes. Keep the outline under 250 words.
Pro tip: Ask your team for a sample report from your service and match its headings.
Jargon Glossary Card
19/30✨ What it does
Builds a plain-language glossary card from the jargon in a letter or plan, as a table of terms, meanings and effects for the person. Check each definition that depends on local rules, since those are the ones that change between areas.
Make a glossary card for the person I support, explaining the terms in my letter: [TERMS ONE PER LINE]. I have removed names. Build a table with the columns Term, Plain meaning and What it means for you. Keep each plain meaning to one sentence. Write [VERIFY] beside any term whose meaning depends on the local service or law, and invent no definition that depends on local rules. Keep the card under 200 words and use the first ten terms listed.
Pro tip: Read each meaning aloud to a colleague first.
Three Ways to Explain a Delay
20/30✨ What it does
Offers three short ways to explain a service delay, then picks the one that suits an anxious person and gives the reason. Use the wording only after you have confirmed the cause and the expected wait with the service.
A service has a delay of [DELAY IN GENERAL TERMS] before the person can start. I give no names or identifiers. Give me three ways to explain the delay to them, each 40 words or fewer: one short and direct, one warm and specific, and one that gives a next step to hold on to. Then pick the version that suits an anxious person and give a one-line reason. Tag any unknown with [VERIFY] and leave it for the service to confirm, and invent no cause for the delay or end date.
Pro tip: Say the expected wait only if the service has confirmed it in writing.
Difficult conversations
5 promptsMissed Appointment Phone Script
21/30✨ What it does
Writes a 90-second phone script for a missed appointment, with a non-blaming opening, one open question and a clear next step. Check that the rebooking line matches your service's rules before you call.
Write a short phone script for someone who missed an appointment with me. Use a warm, non-blaming opening, one open question about what got in the way, one plain line about the next step, and a close. It must fit in 90 seconds of speech and use 'I' statements. Facts I can share, in general terms and with no identifiers: [FACTS IN GENERAL TERMS]. Tag any detail I have not supplied with [VERIFY], and invent no reason the person gave, new date or penalty.
Pro tip: Leave a pause after the open question. Silence often gets a more honest answer.
Role-Play a Declined Service
22/30✨ What it does
Writes two turns of a conversation where someone declines an offered service, with two likely replies and a response to each. Use it to rehearse, then confirm what the offer includes with your service before you speak to the person.
Role-play the first two turns of a conversation in which a person has declined a service I offered, described in general terms with no names: [SERVICE TYPE IN GENERAL TERMS]. Write what I say first, then two likely replies from the person, then my response to each reply. Keep my lines short, with no pressure and no threats. Include one line that keeps the offer open and one that explains how they can ask again later. Tag any unknown with [VERIFY], and invent nothing the service will provide or any penalty.
Pro tip: Practise the lines aloud. A script read once often sounds stiff in the room.
Out-of-Hours Contact Boundary
23/30✨ What it does
Rewrites a draft message about contact outside work hours into 60 words, with your availability, an urgent route and a reply time. Take the urgent route from your own service policy, never from the model, before you send anything.
Rewrite this message I want to send to a person who keeps contacting my personal phone outside work hours: [MESSAGE DRAFT WITHOUT IDENTIFIERS]. Keep it under 60 words in three parts: the hours I am available, the route for an urgent case, and when they will hear back from me. Keep the tone calm and firm. Tag each one [VERIFY] so I fill them in from our policy, and invent no emergency number or out-of-hours service.
Pro tip: Send the boundary in writing once, then repeat it in the same words.
Mandated Reporting Prep Questions
24/30✨ What it does
Asks five questions in turn, then writes a one-page prep sheet for a supervisor conversation about a concern. The sheet does not decide whether a report is required, so confirm the duty and the steps against local law and agency policy.
Ask me five questions, one at a time, to help me prepare a conversation with my supervisor about [CONCERN IN GENERAL TERMS]. Use general terms only: no names, dates of birth, addresses or case numbers. Wait after each question. Cover what I observed, what the person said, what my agency's policy asks me to record, what I still need to check and when the supervisor must be told. After my fifth answer, write a one-page prep sheet for the supervisor meeting. Put this at the top: the prep sheet does not decide whether to report. If anyone is in immediate danger, I follow my emergency procedure now, not this prep sheet. Do not invent policy steps or legal duties; tag each unknown with [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Keep your answers factual. Write what you saw and heard, not what you concluded.
Reply to an Angry Relative
25/30✨ What it does
Drafts a 100-word reply to an angry message from a relative, with one line of acknowledgement, a clear limit on what you can share and one next step. Check the sharing limit against the consent on file, since a wrong line here can breach confidentiality.
Draft a reply to an angry message from a relative of a person I support, about [ISSUE IN GENERAL TERMS]. Message received, with names removed: [PASTE MESSAGE]. Reply in 100 words or fewer. Acknowledge the feeling in one sentence, state [WHAT I CAN SHARE] under our policy and nothing beyond it, and offer one concrete next step with a time I can confirm. Tag every unknown with [VERIFY], and invent no consent or service actions.
Pro tip: Reply after a pause. Re-read the reply once before you send it.
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Supervision and self-care
5 promptsSupervision Agenda Steps
26/30✨ What it does
Writes a numbered 60-minute supervision agenda with timed steps for case review, workload, training and actions. Send it to your supervisor before the meeting so you both bring the same notes.
Build a 60-minute supervision agenda for a social worker with a caseload of [NUMBER] people. Number the steps and give each a time: check-in, review of two cases from my notes, workload and capacity, training need, and actions with owners. My case notes, which I have already de-identified: [DE-IDENTIFIED CASE NOTES]. Give each step one sentence on what to bring. Keep the agenda to one page. Tag each unknown [VERIFY] so my supervisor can confirm it, and invent no policies, targets or outcomes from my agency.
Pro tip: Limit case review to two cases. A longer list leaves no time for workload.
Reflective Questions for a Hard Case
27/30✨ What it does
Writes six open reflective questions for supervision on a hard case, covering your reactions, the person's strengths and the wider system. Use them to start the conversation, not as a test of your practice.
Give me six reflective questions for supervision about a hard case, which I describe in general terms with no names: [CASE SITUATION IN GENERAL TERMS]. Write three questions about my own reactions, two about the person's strengths and one about the wider system around them. Make each question open, under 20 words and free of blame. Present them as a numbered list, with one line under each saying what it helps me notice. Tag any detail I must confirm with [VERIFY], and invent no facts about the case.
Pro tip: Choose the two questions that touch you most. Those often hold the real issue.
Caseload Weekly Plan Table
28/30✨ What it does
Lays out a Monday-to-Friday caseload plan as a table, with visits, notes due and protected time for urgent calls. Check every travel time and deadline against your own diary, because the model has no view of your route or your team's dates.
Plan my week across a caseload of [NUMBER] people as a table. Columns: Day, Visits, Office tasks, Notes due and Protected time. Build five rows, Monday to Friday, and add travel time between visits. Keep two blocks free for urgent calls. My fixed commitments, already in general terms: [FIXED COMMITMENTS]. Tag every unknown [VERIFY], and invent no visit times, travel distances or deadlines. Add one line under the table on the busiest day.
Pro tip: Note travel time before you add visits. Most overloaded weeks fail on the drive.
Strain Check-In
29/30✨ What it does
Sorts your signs of strain into workload, boundary and recovery groups, with two changes to try this week for each. This is not medical advice, so raise any sign that persists with your supervisor or a doctor.
I notice these signs of strain in my work: [SIGNS OF STRAIN], for example poor sleep or dread before visits. I have left out all client details. Sort the signs into three groups: workload, boundaries and recovery. For each group give two changes I can try this week, each under 15 words. Then say which signs, if they persist, I should raise with my supervisor or a doctor. This is not medical advice: tag anything beyond general wellbeing with [VERIFY] and invent no diagnosis or treatment.
Pro tip: Pick one change to start with. Three at once rarely survive a heavy week.
New Colleague Two-Week Plan
30/30✨ What it does
Lays out a two-week onboarding for a new colleague, with shadowing in week one and supervised visits in week two. Replace each [VERIFY] line with your own forms and training, since the plan is only a structure.
Plan a two-week onboarding for a new social worker joining my team, day by day in a table with the columns Day, Shadowing, Reading, Own tasks and Check-in. Use only the team documents I list here, which hold no client details: [TEAM DOCUMENTS IN GENERAL TERMS]. Week one is shadowing only, and week two adds supervised visits. Tag each one [VERIFY] so my team can confirm the local version, and invent no policies, forms or training courses. Keep the plan to ten rows.
Pro tip: Name the first person a new colleague should call for each kind of question.
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