The Department shall maintain a Child Protection Registry which contains information about persons who have been substantiated for abuse or neglect as provided in this subchapter or who were substantiated between August 1, 1994, and February 1, 2003. The primary purpose of the Child Protection Registry is to protect children and to ensure the safety of children in child care, health care and public educational facilities. This subchapter must be liberally construed so that these purposes may be realized.