Avoid this PIR Mistake: Case Notes vs. Service Notes

For many Head Start and Early Head Start programs, notes are the backbone of accurate data, strong family engagement documentation, and federal reporting. But one of the biggest challenges we see across agencies is this:

❌MISTAKE: Entering all of your family services into Case Notes. Those services will NOT count toward PIR C.44.

This single mistake causes major underreporting, weaker program stories, and inaccurate monitoring data. And it also makes it harder for staff to track what happened, who received the service, and what follow-up is needed.

This article breaks down the difference between Case Notes and Service Notes in GoEngage, why it matters for compliance, and how to ensure every service your program provides gets properly counted.

Why the Difference Matters

Case Notes ≠ Services

Service Notes = C.44 credit + required PIR reporting

C.44 of the PIR asks programs to report the number of families who actually received (not were referred for, or offered) a wide range of family services, including mental health, parenting curriculum, housing, ESL, financial counseling, preventive health education, and more.

❌ If these services are logged as Case Notes, they will not map to C.44 automatically.

✅ If they are logged as Service Notes, they will.

That one decision determines whether your program gets credit for the services you work so hard to provide.

Case Note Example Screenshot	Service Note Example Screenshot

Why Case Notes Can Cause Problems

Case notes should be used for text reminders, general communication, and everyday interactions with families. Do not use them to enter mental health consultations, parenting classes, crisis intervention, ESL enrollment, or financial coaching--or else they won't get mapped to PIR.

Screenshot 1: Case Note Entry Screen

Screenshot 2: Service Note Entry Screen

This is where actual services must be logged.

🛠️ A tip from our trainers: “Always ask yourself: Did I provide a service for the family? If so, it’s a service note.”

Notice this screen contains:

• General Service category*

• Detail Service category*

• Result and Result Date*

• PFCE Domain

• Ability to indicate who provided the service

• Minutes/cost fields

• Referral links (internal/external)

The fields with an asterisk are required to pull C.44 accurately — and they do not exist in Case Notes.

Screenshot 3: Notes by Class/Caseload

This screen is a summary of all of your notes—you can even add your notes individually or in bulk from this screen:

• Case Notes

• Service Notes

If everything is logged as a Case Note, your columns for Service Notes will always show zeros — even if staff did provide services. That leads directly to underreporting.

Case Notes vs. Service Notes: A Side-by-Side Comparison

The Two Most Common Mistakes Agencies Make

❌ Mistake 1. Logging everything as Case Notes

Especially common during busy months or when staff are unsure which note to use.

✅ Correct Method: Log as service or referral note.

❌ Mistake 2. Logging group events as Case Notes

Examples:

• A parenting workshop

• A mental health education session

• A nutrition class

  ✅ Correct Method: Use the Family Events & Socializations Task, which logs service notes automatically with attendance tracking.

Why It Impacts PIR C.44

C.44 collects the number of families who received services in 17 categories, such as:

• Mental health services

• Housing assistance

• Crisis intervention

• Asset building

• ESL

• Parenting curriculum

• Preventive medical/dental education

• Relationship/marriage education

• Transition supports

• And more

When entered correctly as Service Notes, GoEngage automatically feeds into C44.

If the same service is entered as a Case Note, it is invisible to the PIR.

That means your agency appears to be providing fewer services than you actually deliver.

How GoEngage Makes This Easier

GoEngage is designed to clearly separate documentation types to support accurate reporting:

Notes by Class/Caseload provide clarity

You can immediately see:

• whether a child has missing service notes

• whether referrals were made or completed

Bulk service note entry for events

Perfect for:

• Education on Nutrition

• Prenatal Education

• Halloween Safety

• Playground Safety

You can also add the service to the Family Event.

Quick Guidance: When to Use Each Note Type

Examples of When to Use a Case Note

Use a Case Note for communication, documentation, updates, reminders, and general interactions that do not count as services in C.44.

Common Case Note Scenarios

• You text a parent about tomorrow’s socialization event

• You call a family to check in on attendance or transportation

• You document a conversation about the child’s daily behavior or a classroom update

• A parent mentions a concern and you are simply documenting the interaction (no service yet)

• You notify a family that a referral was submitted (the referral itself should be logged as a Referral Note)

• You log a home visit reminder or schedule clarification

• You capture a brief hallway conversation to document family communication

• You record attempts to reach the family (left voicemail, sent text, etc.)

Case Notes tell the “story” of your work — but they do not count toward PIR C.44 or PFCE outcome data.

🛠️ By using GoEngage to communicate with parents through email or text, it auto creates the case note for you.

Examples of When to Use a Service Note

Use a Service Note when the family actually received a service — individually or in a group — and it falls into a PFCE category or PIR C.44 category.

Common Service Note Scenarios

• You delivered emergency/crisis intervention support to a family

• You helped a family apply for housing assistance or rental subsidies

• You assisted a parent in enrolling in a GED, job training, or ESL program

• You provided education about preventive medical or oral health to a family

• You discussed the child’s screening or assessment results with the parent

• You supported a transition from EHS → HS or HS → Kindergarten

• You delivered postpartum or breastfeeding support to a new mother

• You provided relationship, marriage, or co-parenting education to a family

• You provided education on the health and developmental consequences of tobacco product use to a family that uses tobacco products

If the family received something — education, training, counseling, support, intervention, or assistance — it belongs in a Service Note, not a Case Note.

A Helpful Guiding Question

When you’re unsure which type to use, ask:

“Did I provide a service or did I only communicate?”

If you provided something that builds a family’s skills, knowledge, stability, well-being, or readiness → Service Note.

If you documented a conversation, coordination, or general communication → Case Note.

Common Examples: Case Notes vs. Service Notes

Best Practice Workflow to Ensure PIR Accuracy

1. Check the Notes by Class/Caseload screen weekly to monitor gaps.

2. Train staff to ALWAYS use Service Notes for services (C.44 categories).

3. Use bulk entry after each workshop, class, or group service.

4. Review C.44 categories monthly to verify that services are appearing.

5. Do internal audits after big events (e.g., parent curriculum nights).

Final Takeaway

Using Case Notes for everything may feel faster — but it creates major problems:

• Underreporting

• Inaccurate PIR

• Missing PFCE outcomes

• Lost referral data

• Incomplete service history

• Reduced program credibility

By shifting service activity into Service Notes, your program gets full credit for the work you do, your PIR is accurate, and your team can confidently track family progress, outcomes, and supports.

Small change. Massive impact.