(a) A person who has been substantiated for abuse or neglect pursuant to this subchapter must be entered on the Child Protection Registry. The Department shall develop regulations that assess the risk of future harm to children from acts of abuse or neglect and designate Child Protection Levels.

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(b) The following paragraphs describe the 4 child protection levels:

(1) Child Protection Level I. — A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect for any of the following must be designated to Child Protection Level I:

a. An incident of abuse or neglect, including emotional neglect, presenting a low risk of future harm to children; or

b. Conviction of a violation of compulsory school attendance requirements or truancy when based on the same incident of abuse or neglect as alleged in the Notice of Intent to Substantiate pursuant to § 924 of this title.

A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect at Child Protection Level I must not be reported in response to a Child Protection Registry check made pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 31 or Chapter 85 of Title 11 for that incident or conviction. The person is eligible for employment in a child-serving entity as defined in § 309 of Title 31 or health-care facility as defined in § 8563 of Title 11 .

(2) Child Protection Level II. — A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect for any of the following must be designated to Child Protection Level II:

a. An incident of abuse or neglect, including severe emotional neglect, presenting a moderate risk of future harm to children; or

b. Conviction of interference with custody when based on the same incident of abuse or neglect as alleged in the Notice of Intent to Substantiate pursuant to § 924 of this title.

A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect at Child Protection Level II must be reported for a period of 3 years as “substantiated for abuse” or “substantiated for neglect” in response to a Child Protection Registry check made pursuant to Chapter 85 of Title 11 or Chapter 3 of Title 31. The person must remain on the Registry for a period of 3 years, but the person is eligible for employment in a child-serving entity as defined in Chapter 3 of Title 31, or health-care facility as defined in Chapter 85 of Title 11, while the person is on the Registry at Child Protection Level II; and a prospective employer making a Child Protection Registry check must be so informed. If the person is not substantiated for abuse or neglect while on the Registry, the person on the Registry at Child Protection Level II is automatically removed from the Registry after 3 years and must not be reported in a Child Protection Registry check for that incident or conviction.

(3) Child Protection Level III. — A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect for any of the following must be designated to Child Protection Level III:

a. An incident of abuse or neglect presenting a high risk of future harm to children, including but not limited to: physical injury, nonorganic failure to thrive, malnutrition, or abandonment of a child 13 to 17 years of age; or

b. Conviction of any of the following crimes when based on the same incident of abuse or neglect as alleged in the Notice of Intent to Substantiate pursuant to § 924 of this title: offensive touching, menacing, reckless endangering in the second degree, assault in the third degree, child abuse in the third degree, terroristic threatening, unlawful administration of drugs or controlled substances, indecent exposure in the first or second degree, sexual harassment, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, abandonment of a child, or misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.

A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect at Child Protection Level III must be reported for a period of 7 years as “substantiated for abuse” or “substantiated for neglect” in response to a Child Protection Registry check made pursuant to Chapter 85 of Title 11 or Chapter 3 of Title 31. The person is ineligible for employment in a child-serving entity as defined in Chapter 3 of Title 31, or health-care facility as defined in Chapter 85 of Title 11, while the person is on the Child Protection Registry at Child Protection Level III. If the person is not substantiated for a different incident of abuse or neglect while on the Registry, the person entered on the Registry at Child Protection Level III is automatically removed from the Registry after 7 years and is, thereafter, eligible for employment in a child care facility, health-care facility or public school, and must not be reported in a Child Protection Registry check for that incident or conviction.

(4) Child Protection Level IV. — A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect for any of the following must be designated to Child Protection Level IV:

a. An incident of abuse or neglect presenting the highest risk of future harm to children, including but not limited to serious physical injury, sexual abuse, torture, criminally negligent treatment, or abandonment of a child 12 years of age or younger (but not including the voluntary surrender of a baby pursuant to the Safe Arms for Babies program as provided in § 907A of this title); or

b. Conviction of any of the following crimes when based on the same incident of abuse or neglect as alleged in the Notice of Intent to Substantiate pursuant to § 924 of this title: vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide, assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, reckless endangering in the first degree, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, child abuse in the first degree, child abuse in the second degree, murder, manslaughter, murder by abuse or neglect, incest, rape, unlawful sexual contact, sexual extortion, sexual solicitation of a child, felony sex offender unlawful sexual conduct against a child, felony sexual abuse of a child by a person in a position of trust, authority or supervision in the first degree or second degree, trafficking of persons and involuntary servitude, bestiality, continuous sexual abuse of a child, possession of child pornography, unlawfully dealing in child pornography, felony endangering the welfare of a child, dangerous crime against a child, kidnapping, coercion, dealing in children, unlawful dealing with a child, sexual exploitation of a child, or promoting suicide.

A person who is substantiated for abuse or neglect at Child Protection Level IV must be reported as “substantiated for abuse” or “substantiated for neglect” in response to a Child Protection Registry check made pursuant to Chapter 85 of Title 11 or Chapter 3 of Title 31. The person is ineligible for employment in a child-serving entity as defined in Chapter 3 of Title 31 or health-care facility as defined in Chapter 85 of Title 11. In addition, the person may not be removed from the Registry and must be reported in a Registry check for the incident or conviction, except as provided in § 929(c) of this title.

(c) A person who is substantiated for an incident of abuse or neglect while on the Child Protection Registry is ineligible for automatic removal from the Registry, but may be removed from the Registry by order of the Family Court as provided in § 929 of this title. If a person is substantiated for abuse or neglect while on the Registry, the imposed conditions for each incident must be completed consecutively, with the conditions for the most restrictive Child Protection Level or Levels being completed before those for the less restrictive level or levels. A person who has partially completed a level when assigned to a more restrictive level is given credit for that partial completion when that person has completed the conditions for the more restrictive level or levels.

73 Del. Laws, c. 412, § ?7; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1; 79 Del. Laws, c. 314, § ?1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 154, § ?3; 83 Del. Laws, c. 228, § 1;