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Caseloading is a term that has been around in further education since colleges were made independent of Local Education Authorities in 1993. It is however a term that is widely mis-understood. Its use raises mixed emotions in people. Managers see it potentially as a tool to get more work out of the same number of, or fewer people. Unions and staff seem to view it in a similar way and therefore tend to resist it. This paper describes the predominant caseloading models and the political, economic and curriculum pressures that brought the concept to the fore. At the same time as caseloading has been developed as a management model in some colleges, lecturer contracts, role and employment patterns have been changing. A major element of this has been the introduction of 'Teaching Support' staff into the curriculum delivery team. The introduction of these types of posts has potentially wide-ranging implications for the role of lecturers in the future. In addition, the role of the manager continues to develop, with increased accountability for budgets, targets, staff and student management. Caseloading also has implications for the role and scope of senior and middle managers and the devolution of authority within a college. In the light of these implications for lecturers and managers the reasons why caseloading has not been, and is unlikely to be, widely used are explored.