(1) protect children whose health and welfare may be adversely affected through abuse or neglect;

(2) strengthen the family and make the home safe for children whenever possible by enhancing the parental capacity for good child care;

(3) provide a temporary or permanent nurturing and safe environment for children when necessary; and for these purposes require the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect, an assessment or investigation of such reports and provision of services, when needed, to such child and family;

(4) establish a range of responses to child abuse and neglect that take into account different degrees of child abuse or neglect and which recognize that child offenders should be treated differently from adults; and

(5) establish a tiered child protection registry that balances the need to protect children and the potential employment consequences of a registry record for persons who are substantiated for child abuse and neglect. (Added 1981, No. 207 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 25, 1982; amended 2007, No. 168 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)