The purposes of this Act are to ensure that —
(a) the best interest of a child, the safety, welfare, and wellbeing of a child are of paramount consideration;
(b) a child is as far as possible given an opportunity to respond before a decision is taken which affects the child;
(c) a child is addressed in a manner appropriate to his or her age, maturity, and intellectual development;
(d) a child is treated in a manner which considers his or her beliefs;
(e) procedures to be carried out under this Act are conducted and completed in a timely manner;
(f) parents, relatives, and other family members have the right to assist a child in proceedings under this Act and, wherever possible, to participate in decisions affecting the child;
(g) consequences arising from the commission of an offence by a child are proportionate to the circumstances of the child, the nature of the offence, the interests of society and that a child is not treated more severely than an adult would be treated in the same circumstances;
(h) a child has equal access to available services if the child is lacking in —
(i) family support,
(ii) educational support, or
(iii) employment opportunities, if the child is between the ages of sixteen years and eighteen years;
(i) every effort is made to ensure that a child receives equal treatment to other children when having committed a similar offence; and
(j) when deciding to release a child in detention —
(i) preference is given to the release of the child into the care of a parent or an appropriate adult, with or without the imposition of conditions,
(ii) if the release of a child into the care of a parent or an appropriate adult is not feasible, the release of the child on bail or recognisance is considered,
(iii) if the child is detained as a measure of last resort, the least restrictive form of detention appropriate to the child and the offence is selected.