(1) “Abuse” or “abused child” is as defined in § 901 of Title 10.

(2) “Adult” means a person who has reached his or her eighteenth birthday;

(3) “Attorney” means an attorney authorized to practice law in the State, who is employed or contracted by the Office, or who volunteers for the Office, including Deputy Child Advocates and attorneys who work in conjunction with Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers.

(4) “Best interests” as defined in § 722 of Title 13;

(5) “Child” or “children” means persons who have not reached their eighteenth birthday;

(6) “Child welfare proceeding” means any Family Court proceeding and subsequent appeal therefrom involving custody, visitation, guardianship, termination of parental rights, adoption and other related petitions that involve a dependent, neglected or abused child or a child at risk of same as determined by a Family Court Judge;

(7) “Commission” means the Child Protection Accountability Commission;

(8) “Court” means primarily the Family Court, but may mean any court of this State;

(9) “Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer” or “CASA” means a volunteer authorized and appointed under § 9010A of this title, who is supervised by a coordinator and who works in conjunction with the child's attorney to accomplish the duties set forth in § 9007A(c) of this title.

(10) “Department” means the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families of the State;

(11) “Dependency” or “dependent child” is as defined in § 901 of Title 10.

(12) “Division” means the Division of Family Services of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families;

(13) “Investigation Coordinator” is as defined in § 902 of Title 16.

(14) “Neglect” or “neglected child” is as defined in § 901 of Title 10.

(15) “Office” means the Office of the Child Advocate.

(16) “Permanency“ means the safe, stable, custodial environment in which a child is raised and the life-long relationship that child establishes with a nurturing caregiver.