A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essays

A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essays A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay On 25th February 2000 at 3.15pm, Victoria Climbie was declared dead. A post-mortem scrutiny carried out by Dr. Nathaniel Carey concluded she had died of hypothermia caused by undernourishment as a consequence of a moist environment and restricted motion. Lord Laming was approached by the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to transport out three statutory enquiries following Victoria s decease. The combination of these enquiries resulted in the Victoria Climbie Inquiry. In this study, he found the communicating between Local Authorities, Police and Social Workers to be missing. As a consequence, he made a series of recommendations and the order in which they would be implemented. By making a hierarchy, ( fig1 ) , each Body or Committee had a specific map or function. Lord Laming determined that in the event of a serious instance, an established and clear concatenation of bid would guarantee answerability and or support at the highest degree. In this instance, the vaulting horse would halt at the recommended ministerial Children and Families Board established with the Prime Minister s support. These chief organic structures and their subordinates would besides be responsible for size uping and implementing new statute law ; and describing back in the order laid out. The chief focal point of these recommendations was bar instead than remedy ; by placing kids at hazard at the earliest chance and finally guaranting their safety. This would be done by: Simplifying the bing Working Together and the National Assessment Framework paperss into one papers that could be readily understood across the board. Geting rid of bureaucratism so that it became easier to place who was responsible for what more easy. Bettering the lines of communicating and sharing of information. Retraining of frontline staff. Clarifying the common jurisprudence regulations on confidentiality. Social Care Recommendations: Following his enquiry, Lord Laming recommended a complete restructure on how a vulnerable kid s instance would be handled from its induction to its completion. He recognized in order to protect the kids ; better criterions and clear guidelines would hold to be established for everyone concerned to follow. Some of his cardinal suggestions called for: Procedures on how to transport out an initial study: He concluded where English was non the kid s first linguistic communication, and translator would be made available. Training: Experienced staff with appropriate preparation would be assigned to the kids and their households. Recording of informations: Once a kid has been identified as being vulnerable, all informations sing this kid non restricting physician s studies ; must be collated, recorded and shared with the proper governments instantly. Accountability: Directors, Directors and Team leaders must set up a system that records: Who made the governments foremost cognizant of the kid s quandary, who is covering with the instance, when the instance was assigned, who referred the instance to another bureau or local authorization and the actions being taken throughout the continuance of the instance. It is the responsibility of the Manager to guarantee that every societal worker is clear on what function they are expected to play in any peculiar instance, and they understood what was expected of them. It would besides be made clear that their actions would come under supervising and reviewed sporadically. This would guarantee everyone concerned was on the same page. Referrals: Each bureau would hold to collaborate with each other when sharing their information. If more than one bureau was involved in a kid s instance, the initial bureau should be responsible for informing the latter bureau all the specifics of the instance in authorship. Legal Advice: In the event where exigency steps had to be taken, Lord Laming recommended that legal advice had to be taken within a 24 hr period. This would result that all facets of the jurisprudence were being complied with. Health Recommendations: Between the wellness, constabulary and societal services, it emerged that there were many missed chances which had they been spotted, could hold saved Victoria s life. As a consequence, Lord Laming suggested a complete revamp in the manner instances were recorded from the land up. Most notably, he recommended that: Where a instance of kid maltreatment is suspected, a nursing attention program must be drawn up integrating a full physician s study. Once a kid has been identified as vulnerable, the analyzing physician must make up ones mind whether to interrogate the kid straight without the consent of his primary carers or acquire the kid s history from his primary carers. The physician must so observe down his actions and or determinations taken in authorship. Decision The Philosopher George Santayana ( 1905 ) one time said those who can non larn from history are doomed to reiterate it . This unluckily, appeared to be the instance when Lord Laming was one time once more commissioned to compose another study following the decease of Baby Peter[ 2 ]. In this study he was asked to place the barriers that prevented the safeguarding of kids following his first enquiry. What has become progressively clear is that despite the initial enquiry, it appears no existent lessons have been learnt. On June 7th 2010, Channel 4[ 3 ]screened an clandestine docudrama on the life of a typical societal worker. Among the concerns that old and freshly qualified societal workers expressed ; a deficiency of communicating between governments and the bureaucratism that ensued stood out. Although one could reason the sample used in that peculiar docudrama could non perchance reflect the UK as a whole ; it is still a badgering and existent concern that needs to be nationally addressed to safeguard these vulnerable kids. TAQ 2: ( ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 2.2 ) WHAT DOES A CHILDREN S TRUST DO? Describe THEIR ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS. The Children s Plan was set up by the Government to guarantee every kid regardless of age, sex, faith, economic background ; could take a safe, happy and healthy life. This is in bend would do it possible for these kids to turn into good adjusted grownups, capable of doing positive parts in their communities. In order to do this program work, The Children s Trust, made up of local partnerships, was given the duty to see out this vision and do it a world. The function of the Children s Trust One of their primary functions is to convey together local administrations that deal with the services of kids, immature grownups and households together ; to continually better services rendered or cover with jobs impacting these groups of people. Together with primary attention trusts, constabulary governments, youth piquing squads, wellness governments, schools, local probation boards and young person piquing squads ; the Children s Trust bring these administrations together and necessitate them to fall in The Trust edge by a legal responsibility of attention. Essential Features The Children s Trust: Identifies kids at hazard with an purpose to forestall any injury by step ining at the earliest phase possible. Try to cut down kid poorness Actively engage with their mark groups by listening to their positions on what affects them in their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours lives in order to supply services that would do a existent difference to these kids. Ensure proper programs are laid out to supply effectual services to their mark groups. This includes entire answerability in services provided and public disbursement. Making certain every kid has a good rounded instruction which will enable hold them to be on a more or less on equal terms with affluent kids when they eventually join the occupation market. Attempts to interrupt the barriers that prevent kids from sharing and utilizing information. The Children s Trust besides ensures that proper communicating and sharing of information exists between all Local Authorities covering with kids. Partnership Agreements The undermentioned administrations work closely together with the Children s Trust to accomplish the public assistance of kids, immature grownups and households. It should be noted they have a legal responsibility of attention when supplying their several services and as a whole, as members of the Children s Trust, work together for the overall good being of their mark groups. Primary Care Trusts ( PCT ) : PCT together with Local Authorities and other bureaus that provide wellness and societal attention locally, guarantee the demands of the community are met as a whole. Local Safeguarding Children s Trusts: In order to advance the safety and good being of kids, immature grownups and households, they work together with local governments that deal with offense and upset, Youth Offending Teams and schools to cut down offense and put on the line the rate of reoffending. They teach effects at an early age in order to forestall, every bit much as possible, antisocial behavior. Education: Schools, households and local governments work together to accomplish high educational criterions and advance extracurricular activities to unlock endowments in kids. By working together, they try to guarantee a kid will come in into maturity as a well adjusted and productive member of society. Local Area Agreement ( LAA ) . The Children s Trust works closely with the populace, private and voluntary sectors to guarantee their overall vision is met. TAQ3: ( ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.1, 3.2 ) DEFINE THE TERM CHILDREN IN NEED IN A SOCIAL WORK CONTEXT List THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND Give A BRIEF DESCRIPTION Any kid who needs excess attention or attending from local governments because: they can non accomplish a sensible criterion of wellness, are significantly impaired, are disabled and are at hazard from the people who surround or attention for them are classified as Children in Need . The Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 require that Local Authorities who provide services for kids and immature people ( under 18 old ages old ) to: Identify those who are unable to reasonably attain or keep wellness and or development without the proviso of services by local governments Provide wellness services to those who are like to endure further or future complication without the proviso of services by the local governments Provide services for disable kids ( Children Act 1989, subdivision 17 ) . Different Types of Child Abuse and Neglect Child maltreatment can attest itself in many signifiers. Some signifiers of maltreatment are easier to descry than others and anybody working with kids must be trained to descry and step in at the earliest chance. Commons illustrations of kid maltreatment include: Physical maltreatment: This where a kid is physically harmed by those in charge of his primary attention ( parents or defenders ) or anybody who comes into contact with the kid. This includes things like crushing a kid, forcing him/her into objects that can do physical injury or curtailing their motions so they can non seek safety. Any calculated action that leaves contusions, internal hurts, interruptions, cuts and or cicatrixs is considered physical maltreatment. Sexual Abuse: Any signifier of sexual activity for illustration incest, colza, pedophilia ; with a kid is considered sexual maltreatment. Mental maltreatment: This covers a wide spectrum. Some of the major causes of mental maltreatment include: Environment: Child who have alcoholic, violent and or drug addicted parents/guardians ; or are exposed to such people in their communities, may endure mentally as a consequence. The kids s hereafter hapless picks could be in portion, as a consequence of the environment so grew up in. Unsupportive Families: Families who fail to back up the kids, by either promoting them to make good or learning them good values ; invariably degrading or seting down their kids ; disregarding their kids demands and wants ; are in fact mentally mistreating these kids TAQ4: ( ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.3 ) OUTLINE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT. PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL LINKS YOU WILL Have INFORMATION ON THIS When a kid in demand has been identified or referred to the Local Authority, an initial appraisal to find what that demand is, what sort of services will be required to assist the kid and most significantly if the kid is safe in his or her current state of affairs ; is carried out. The stairss involved in transporting out such an appraisal are: The initial appraisal should be completed with a maximal period of 7 working yearss from the day of the month of the first referral. The demands of the kid in demand should be identified The safety, wellness and good being of the kid should be safeguarded from injury. Information from the kid s primary carers ( parents or defenders ) , the drawn-out household, all Local Authorities who had contact with the kid ( in relation to the instance nevertheless remote ) , and any records held about the kid ( both current and old ) ; should be collated and recorded to organize portion of the initial appraisal. Using the Children Act 1989 subdivision 17 as a guideline: define if the kid is in demand If there is sufficient or back uping grounds or likelihood the kid is enduring or will endure. The focal point of the initial appraisal should entirely concentrate on the public assistance of the kid, hence, any analysis and recommendations should be made clear with no room for ambiguity. TAQ5: ( ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 2.2 ) Find OUT WHAT THE NORFOLK PROTOCOL GUIDELNES ARE AND DESCRIBE IN YOUR OWN WORDS USING PARAGRAPHS AT LEAST 10 ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THE PROTOCOL The Local Safeguarding Children Boards ( LSCBs ) exist to protect and advance the public assistance of kids and immature grownups. The LSCBs replaced the Area Child Protection Committees which were concerned with kid protection as opposed to safeguarding a kid. The Protocol therefore provide guidelines which Local Authorities and households can work together to supply better support for kids and immature grownups. Some of the activities undertaken in conformity with the Norfolk Protocol are: Aid or support for handicapped parents to look after their kids in all facets of the kid s life: Parents who suffer from physical or learning disablements require different signifiers of aid when looking after their kids. They may non be physically able to feed, frock or a carry their kid and demand to be supported in this. A learning disablement may besides impact a parent s inability to measure right the demands of a kid on a twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours footing. Local Authorities in conformity to the Protocol make an initial appraisal of the family and aid consequently. Safeguarding kids from force and disregard: Childs who come from backgrounds where force exists, are at hazard of going victims of their fortunes or turning up and going violent themselves. In order to safeguard against this, the LSCB place such hazards and take stairss to take the kid from such environments and put them in a safe and stable topographic point. Safeguard the kids and immature grownups when accessing services or activities in the community: Any cultural or recreational activities aimed at kids should do certain the kids benefit from these activities in a safe mode. The keepers in charge of the activities should hold an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau ( CRB ) cheque. They should besides be decently trained to do certain the kids carry out their activities every bit safely as possible. Safeguard the kids and immature grownups from favoritism or onslaughts from people because of their race, faith or physical ability: This means wherever a kid is being targeted because of their individualism or has a physical or learning disablement, the LSCB should step in and either ; educate and or prosecute persons or groups doing injury to the kids. Safeguard kids from sexual marauders: Those who have been identified and prosecuted as sex wrongdoers ; should travel on the Sexual activity Offenders Register and banned from holding working with kids. The LSCB work closely together with other Local Governments and assist place kids at hazard in such state of affairss and take them from injury or possible injury. Missing Child: The LSCB acknowledge kids travel losing from their place or surrogate arrangement for a assortment of grounds. By sensitively nearing this issue, the LSCB work together with households, to happen out the fortunes associating to the kid s disappearing and if found, what can be done to forestall such an happening. Once a kid goes losing, relevant governments pool together to do certain the kid comes home safely. They may seek to make out to the kid utilizing the media or seting up postings with information on how the kid can reach the governments safely. Shared information: This is possibly the greatest tool at the LSCB s disposal in their work to safeguard kids. There are many Local Authorities and voluntary administrations who deal with the well being of kids and a batch of information is necessarily located in different locations. By puting up an electronic database, different administrations are able to non merely hold entree to this information, but besides are able to update and add critical inside informations refering to the kid in demand. Anybody who has entree, or adds to such information, should be held accountable in conformity to the processs of their several administrations. Safeguarding the kids from intimidation: By following a zero tolerance policy against strong-arming ( in schools or the community ) , the LSCB besides educates kids and grownups likewise, how to acknowledge and forestall intimidation. A legal responsibility of attention to kids and immature grownups who: have been given tutelary sentences, are placed in kids places, or in preparation Centres. They must do certain these kids are safeguarded while they in such establishments, from themselves or so others. They must place marks of self-destruction, self harming, mental wellness jobs, continued drug usage etc, and prevent, Teach or kerb such behavior while the kids or immature grownups are in their attention. Unauthorized Campsites: In a command to undertake the turning job of illegal encampment by Travellers, the Norfolk Protocol for Unauthorized Campsites was adopted in January 2003. The purpose of this affair was to organize a feasible program that was acceptable to both Travellers and the communities they occupy. By collaborating with the Local Authorities, the Travellers would non merely have a forum to aerate their grudges, but besides could raise their public profile. TAQ6: ( ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 4.1, 4.2 ) DEFINE WHAT IS MEANT BY ADOPTION AND FOSTERING IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROVISION AVAILABLE FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN. Adoption is a procedure where a kid is provided for with a new household and whom for a assortment of grounds, can non be raised by their ain biological parents. There is a legal procedure that needs to be followed where the new parents have to take all parental duty to the adopted kid as they would their ain biological kid if they have any. Fostering on the manus normally refers to a impermanent agreement made to suit a kid who is waiting to be adopted. The primary health professional ( in this instance it could be a surrogate parent or a surrogate place ) assumes duty for the kid together with a local authorization and where applicable, the kid s biological parents. Identify and Evaluate Different Type of Provisions Available for Looked After Children Educational Commissariats: Children in demand who are sing adversities in their instruction in add-on to any bing troubles have to be particularly cared for. In order to decently measure the kid s single demands, Local Authorities in partnerships with others, have to transport out appraisals to find what is best for the kid. The turning demands of the kid are besides taken into history. This is necessary because as the kid gets older, the governments concerned will necessitate to hold their initial appraisals reviewed to reflect the current position of the kid. By right measuring and run intoing a kid s educational demands, it is likely the kid will non stand out in mainstream society or be a mark for negative actions. Fostering Commissariats: The Children Act 1989 sec 22G requires Local governments to do certain that those entrusted with caring for kids meet the criterions set and have passed all the cheques required. This is of import as it minimizes hazards every bit much as possible with a position to finally guaranting the kid s safety in attention. Contact Commissariats: Childs who are placed in impermanent attention may hold entree to their biological parents depending on the nature of their arrangement. In order to safeguard the involvement of these vulnerable kids, parents sometimes have to hold to supervised visits. Equally much as this may be seen as an invasion by the biological households, it is necessary to hold a societal worker for illustration ; to be visibly present to forestall farther injury to the kid, or assist construct dealingss between kid and his/her household. Changes in the jurisprudence have besides being reviewed to further ease this procedure. In April 1st 2010, the new Government passed a jurisprudence stating that the participants incomes would non be a factor to reach activity TAQ 7: ( ASSESSEMENT CREITERION 4.3 ) Exploitation VALID AND RELIABLE SOURCES INVESTIGATE AND DISCSS THE ISSUES SUROUNDING HARD TO PLACE CHILDREN AND SUGGEST A POSSIBLE INERGRATED SERVICE PROVISION CARE PLAN. A kid is considered hard to put when it becomes hard for him/her to be for good adopted by a household. The grounds vary from kid to child but the most common grounds are: Physical ( prospective parents find the kid is excessively old ) Mental Problems Emotional or societal jobs Physical disablements More frequently than non, prospective adoptive parents already have this image of a perfect small kid and may non be ready to accept a kid who has some troubles. This is normally the hardest barrier when puting kids. If a kid is lucky plenty to be adopted, but displays some ambitious behavior during the test period, the adoptive parents have the right to return the kid if they feel they can non get by. This unhappily creates more jobs to the kid or may hold already started life feeling rejected. The term hard to topographic point is non merely restricted to kids in Foster attention. The same can be applied to kids who can non happen it difficult to remain in school because of the type of behavior they display. In order to increase the odds of have these kids successfully placed in a household or an educational installation, a good attention program is indispensable to do this happen. Where possible, a successful attention program needs to hold the input of the parents, extended household or old schools. Monck ( Monck and others 2003 p42 ) explores this farther when he defined a program of what to make in the meantime, where there was an outlook the kid would be returned to his birth parents or lasting defenders after a complete probe. He defined Concurrent planning as the capacity of the birth parents or wider birth household to rear the kid is investigated. At the same clip the kid is placed with surrogate carers who, if the birth household can non rear, go the adoptive parents . In his definition, when a kid could non be returned to his natural parents, he made a proviso on what would eventually go on to that kid. The undermentioned constituents represent a good attention program. Specific: All attention programs for difficult to put kids, need to be every bit single as the kid itself. The jobs environing the kid may hold a generalized description, but the effects to the kid itself have to be tailored to suit the kid. Child A could be said to be angry and displays this choler by hitting other kids. The same could be said of any kid because kids tend to flog out as they are yet to larn tools of how to cover with their emotions. The attention program would so hold to dig into the root cause of the kid s choler before doing proviso or recommendation on how to outdo aid the kid. Measurable: It is counterproductive to hold the kid receive the same type of aid when no noticeable betterment can be recorded. Alternatively, if after an acceptable period of clip the kid continues to exhibit the same type of disputing behavior, a new therapy or constitution should be tried. In order to avoid duplicate of interventions, Local Authorities have to pass on and work together in a command to assist the kid. Relevant: The attention program should suit the kid needs as he or she is now. This means if an appraisal was carried when the kid was 4 old ages old, another has to be carried as he/she continues to acquire older. Factors such as pubescences need to be taken into history as they could increase or magnify the behavioral jobs exhibited by the kid. Focused: The attention program would hold to hold way. Gratuitous clip blowing therapies, appraisals or interventions can be avoided merely by holding a focussed attention program. This is where the existent determinations are made refering the kid in inquiry even though these determinations have to be revised sporadically. The same could be said when there are no more resources available at that present clip to provide to the kid. The lone thing that can be done in such instances is to maintain the kid safe, healthy and every bit happy as possible. TAQ8 ( ASSESSEMENT CRETERION 1.1 ) USING THE TIMELINE AS A BASIS FOR YOUR WORK, DEVELOP IT FURTHER TO FULL OUTLINE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEASURES WITHIN THE UK TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. 2006 The Children and Adoption Act 2006 made commissariats for people who worked or had contact with kids chiefly in a professional capacity or for households who posed a hazard to kids. The purpose of this act was to minimise possible hazards to kids. 2007 The UK Borders Act 2007 ( codification of pattern on kids ) defines how kids should be treated when doing certain they comply with the UK in-migration Torahs. It states for illustration, any kid under 16 old ages old should hold an grownup nowadays before fingerprints can be taken. 2008 The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 Chapter 23 defines the manner in which societal work services are delivered to kids and immature individual. Part 1 Sections 1-10 item what is expected from any organisation/Local Authority presenting these types of services. Part 2 trades with the Functions in Relation to Children and Young Persons. This includes covering with issues to make with the kids s wellbeing, adjustment, independent reexamining officers, trial, instruction and preparation, finance, attention interruptions, enforcement of attention criterions, exigency protection orders and information and research. Part 3 of this act defines what is required for following and furthering services. Part 4 elaborates more on the Orders under Part 2 of the 1989 Act. This merely inside informations what criteria each administration or Local Authority should run into before and after a kid is placed in attention. Part 5 trades with the minor and auxiliary amendments to the 1989 Act. 2009 The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 ( c 22 ) provides a model for which 16-18 twelvemonth olds could measure up for an apprenticeship. Its purpose is to guarantee that kids in schools receive full information about apprenticeships and vocational preparation chances. 2010 The Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 ( c 26 ) trades with the proviso that should do for kids with particular educational demands. Separate 1 of this act inside informations how educational installations have to be inspected to run into the Government s standard for this group of kids. TAQ 9 THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AND OF THE COURTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF RELEVANT RECENT LEGISLATION IS VITAL IF CHILDREN ARE TO BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED WITHIN THE UK. DISCUSS The function of the societal worker has neer been more disputing at an age where horrific instances of kid maltreatment have become platitude. These stories no longer do headlines in the media and more worryingly, are the instances that do non do the forepart pages which are every bit as ghastly. The societal worker is besides faced with a batch of resistance in the work topographic point from uncooperative parents/guardians who openly scorn them and believe they want to destruct their household unit or state them how to run their lives. The tribunals on the other manus are overwhelmed with the sheer figure of child maltreatment instances they have to cover with. By the terminal of 2009 entirely, 51,488 sex offenses against kids were recorded by the Home Office. Both the societal workers and the tribunal system are frequently under huge force per unit area to decide these instances rapidly because clip is normally of the kernel to guarantee the safety of the kid. In add-on, a host of ruddy tape and bureaucratism cause the wheels of justness to run easy, which frequently result in many holds which could set the kid in farther danger. One of the most of import steps that has been put in topographic point ; mostly because of the instance of Victoria Climbe, was a clear line of communicating and answerability for all the authorities/agencies who deal with kids in demand. Lord Lemming clearly identified that a deficiency of communicating and finally answerability between different bureaus could hold contributed to the decease of Victoria Climbe, one time she was ab initio identified as a kid in demand. However, lessons were non learnt as in the instance of Baby Peter ; which resulted in farther recommendations by Lord Laming. This was what resulted in the Children Act 2004. It is deserving observing that the Children Act 1989 is still upheld and the 2004 Act does non replace it. The societal workers on the other manus were under force per unit area and overwhelmed b y the figure of caseloads they had to mine through and some of these workers felt their positions had changed from safeguarding kids to run intoing marks. In order to to the full appreciate and understand the functions both the societal worker and the tribunals play in implementing the commissariats of statute law for the kid s protection, it is of import to first define who is considered a child in demand . Councils in the UK have several indexs which they use to place and prioritise aid for a kid in demand ( CIN ) . These are based on several factors environing the kid s life such as disablement, domestic force, intoxicant and drug maltreatment, homelessness, sex maltreatment to advert a few. Regardless of how each council operates, they are all governed by the Children s Act of 1989 and 2004. Using these Acts as a templet, a child in demand can be slackly defined as anybody under the age of 18 old ages, who requires some signifier of intercession, to safeguard them from external factors that prevent them from basking a healthy and well-balanced life. As a consequence, the Government in concurrence with Ofsted, Her Majesty s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Probation, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Prisons, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Court Administration, Her Majesty s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Care Quality Commission ; organize a Safeguarding Review to update their policies on safeguarding kids which oc

The Deadly Hazard of Avalanches

The Deadly Hazard of Avalanches Avalanches have always occurred in the mountainous regions of the world. With the growth of winter-time recreations, fatalities have been on the rise since the 1950s. Avalanches claim over 150 lives each year worldwide and hundreds more are injured or trapped following an avalanche. Ninety percent of all avalanches occur on moderate slopes with an angle of 30Â ° to 45Â ° (snow tends not to accumulate on steeper slopes). Avalanches occur when the gravity pushing the collection of snow at the top of the slope is greater than the strength of the snow itself. A change in temperature, a loud noise, or vibrations are all that are necessary to trigger one of these snowfalls that begin at a starting zone. The avalanche continues downslope along the track and ultimately the avalanche fans out and settles in the runout zone. What Country Gets the Most Avalanches? Internationally, the Alpine countries of France, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy experience the greatest number of avalanches and loss of life annually. The United States ranks fifth worldwide in avalanche danger. The states of Colorado, Alaska, and Utah are the most deadly. Avalanche Prevention and Control Avalanche prevention and mitigation involves a variety of methods. Snow fences are built to prevent the buildup of snow in starting zones, structures are built to stabilize snow. deflecting walls are built to divert avalanche flows away from buildings and even entire towns. Sheds build across roadways that pass through persistent avalanche paths can help to protect motorists from avalanches. Additionally, the reforestation of slopes with trees helps to prevent avalanches. Sometimes avalanche control experts actually desire to create smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent larger, uncontrolled ones. Percussion guns, explosives, and even artillery have been used to produce these controlled avalanches when people are kept away. Although a variety of recreationists spend time in snow-covered mountains - snowmobilers are those most often killed by avalanches in the U.S. Most avalanches in the U.S. occur during the months January, February, and March and on average, 17 are killed annually nationwide. Backcountry explorers are strongly advised to not only know how to identify avalanche hazard areas but also to carry an avalanche beacon/transceiver and a shovel in case of emergency.