33 V.S.A. § 4901: Statement of purposes

The Department may cooperate with the appropriate federal agency for the purpose of establishing, extending, and strengthening services that supplement or substitute for parental care and supervision, including:

(1) preventing, remedying, or assisting in the solution of problems that may result in neglect, abuse, exploitation, or delinquency of children;

(2) protecting and caring for homeless, dependent, or neglected children;

(3) protecting and promoting the welfare of children of working parents;

(4) otherwise protecting and promoting the welfare of children, including the strengthening of their homes where possible or, where needed, providing adequate care away from their homes in child-care facilities; and

(5) assisting youth in a successful transition to an independent adulthood, including the avoidance of homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse.