SSAFA Volunteer Knowledgebase

Definitions of Cases, Visits and Enquiries

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Enquiry

An “Enquiry” is defined as a question, or a request for information on the services SSAFA provide or in relation to support required. This can be via telephone, letter, or visit.

An enquiry can be very detailed and take some time to answer fully. Many enquiries do develop into a “Case”, or a “visit” as defined below. The decision on whether it remains an enquiry or should subsequently be treated as a Case or a Visit, will depend on the needs of the enquirer and will be determined by the Regional Office.

Case

A “Case” is defined as an intervention by a Branch, Division or caseworker following a detailed needs assessment. A “Case” can either be financial or non-financial, but in all cases, there must be a conclusion or end, this happens at the point at which all identified needs have been met. “Cases” can only be closed by Regional Office,

Needs can be met in a variety of ways, by a variety of people or organizations. This can include referral or signpost to another organization or statutory authority with the ability and expertise to meet that need. In all cases a record of the “Case” is to be made on Mosaic (CMS2). Any visits made as part of a on going case should be recorded on mosaic as a “Case visit”

A case consists of three main parts:

  1. The initial visit - this is where the detailed needs assessment or review takes place by a caseworker.
  2. The completion of the "Application for Assistance" and "Assistance Required and Pledged", on Mosaic (CMS2).
  3. The closing of the case by the appointed Regional Office.

All face-to-face meetings, telephone calls and emails, undertaken by a Caseworker, to meet a client’s needs should be recorded as Case Visits. This is recorded in the Visits section of the client’s Person Summary. Visits of this kind should not be recorded anywhere else.

A case can also be the review of an ongoing annuity. This should be recorded on mosaic as an “Annuity visit”.

Visits

A Visit can be made by Caseworkers, or by SSAFA Visitors, to individuals and families in need, who are elderly, disabled or lonely or house-bound, or who have requested or have been identified as in need of support.

Visits form part of the charity’s normal preventative welfare work, as well as part of the casework process. The aim of a Visit is to identify need, monitor vulnerable clients, foresee possible problems/need and to offer advice and support before the need escalates.

At the conclusion of a case, there may be a requirement for a follow-up Visit, which can be conducted by either a Caseworker or by a SSAFA Visitor. These Visits can be in person, by phone or virtual e.g via teams. This is not part of the case process and is not part of the original case. Where a visit of this kind is carried out it should be recorded as a “Home visit

Prison In Reach (VCJS)

Where a visit is conducted in a prison or other detention facility should in the first instance be recorded on Mosaic as a “Prison Visit”. If more than one visit is conducted, then each subsequent visit should be recorded as a separate "Prison visit". Only if a visit is conducted in relation to a case should it be recorded as a “Case visit.”

Other Visits

Other visits available on the Mosaic visit drop down include "Welfare Benefits Assessment" and "Welfare Benefits Review".  Neither of these are applicable to SSAFA and must not be used.

Non-Financial Cases

A non-financial case is one that will not result in any form of financial support.  For example, when someone has contacted us, and we have given them support via a visit, a Prison in reach visit or is detailing the support given by the branch or division i.e. referral to local specialist services teams such as mental health, benefits etc.

Mosaic CMS 2 allows the creation of non-financial cases, that can be either be used on its own or alongside an application for assistance. 

Non-financial cases can be set up by the Regional Office after submission of a referral form.

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