Presenting Factors and Unmet Needs

Understanding Presenting Factors and Unmet Needs in Early Help Plans

Presenting Factors are factors that have had an impact in the past or could have an impact in the future but are not currently being included in the plan as no support is required at this time.   

Examples of Presenting Factors: 

• the family have a history of domestic violence 
• Parent has mental Health diagnosis, has all support in place, parent doesn’t want this reviewed as part of the current plan as it’s not currently impacting their parenting. Parent who has not consented to be part of the family plan but is involved with the children and has significant needs but is not willing to engage in a family support plan at this time 
• Child has an ADHD diagnosis, takes medication and is under a paediatrician for medication reviews

Unmet Needs

Unmet needs are what is identified at the point of assessment and throughout the family plan.

The unmet need will have actions, be reviewed and discussed for:

• Tier 2 Early Help at a meeting with the parent.
• Tier 3 Targeted Early Help at each team around the family meeting.

Once support is in place for the unmet need, this can be monitored for progress and once sustained this is updated to show that the outcome has been achieved.

Examples of Unmet Needs:

• assessment or whilst working with the family it is identified that historic domestic violence is currently impacting the family.  Family will be referred to paragon, ELSA support etc as part of the current family plan
• assessment or whilst working with the family it is identified that the Parent has poor mental health which is currently impacting their parenting and the children’s emotional wellbeing and will be supported as part of the current family plan
• assessment or whilst working with the family it is identified that a child may have neurodiversity or is presenting with neurodiversity traits at school and or at home. Family will be referred to the Neurodiversity Multi-Disciplinary Team for support and a referral to Psicon/Owl centre may be considered
• assessment or whilst working with the family it is identified that a child has an EHCP plan, this is new and needs to be in bedded within school until the outcome is achieved

Please note: Presenting Factors and Unmet Needs can be updated at any point after an assessment has been accepted. To do this please update within the families Tier 2 or Tier 3 tab. This will then pull though to all family plans/closures and the Multi Agency Early Help and Prevention request.