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Somerset Council rolls out AI to cut admin for social workers

The pilot found that report writing and assessments were submitted 65% faster and weekly admin time dropped by 46%. 

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Somerset Council has rolled out an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called ‘Magic Notes’ to frontline social workers after a trial showed it saved staff time on admin. 

The tool uses AI to turn meeting recordings into detailed reports and case notes. 

In the pilot, 20 staff from children’s social care and the children’s social care business operations service took part. 

On average, practitioners saved about 11 hours a week, while business support staff saved five hours each week. 

The pilot found that report writing and assessments were submitted 65% faster and weekly admin time dropped by 46%. 

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In total, 95% of staff who used Magic Notes said they wanted to keep using it. 

Some social workers with visual impairments or dyslexia said it made their work more accessible and fostered a more inclusive workplace.

Yvonne, a social worker at Somerset Council, said: “I got into frontline work because I wanted to help people, and Magic Notes has freed me up to do more of that face-to-face and less time taking notes and filling out paperwork. 

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“The real added benefit is that when I’m out with a client I can be fully focused on them and engage with them, knowing Magic Notes is acting like my assistant, taking notes and tracking actions. It’s liberating.”

Magic Notes was developed by Beam, a social impact company, which estimated that the tool could save UK social workers 50 million hours a year and save taxpayers over £1bn. 

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Seb Barker, co-founder and chief operating officer at Beam, said: “We developed Magic Notes because we saw first-hand from our own team of caseworkers, the need to free frontline personnel from their desks and huge mountains of admin. 

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“AI gives us the opportunity to get practitioners back on the frontline, where they want to be, and where they do the most meaningful work. 

“Magic Notes has been designed with data safety and service user consent at its absolute heart, because it really has been built by frontline workers, for frontline workers.”

Councillor Heather Shearer, Lead Member for Children, Families and Education at Somerset Council, said: “Magic Notes is helping our organisation to automate repetitive tasks and give time back to staff to focus on the important, high-value, person-centred work. As a council, we must be digitally agile. 

“We have a duty to explore all technological opportunities, from improving customer journeys and reducing administrative burden, to supporting wellbeing and enabling more informed, timely decisions.

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“However, we are moving forward carefully, and with consideration.”

Shearer added: “Our approach is rooted in responsible, ethical AI use, with robust governance frameworks in place. 

“And whilst the function of AI tools is to reduce bureaucracy, paperwork, and administrative tasks, a human being will always be involved in the process.”

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