(a) All applicants for employment at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, the Illinois School for the Deaf, and the Illinois Center for the Rehabilitation and Education shall as a condition of employment authorize, in writing on a form prescribed by the Department of Children and Family Services, an investigation of the Central Register, as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, to ascertain if the applicant has been determined to be a perpetrator in an indicated report of child abuse or neglect.
     (b) The information concerning a prospective employee obtained by the Department shall be confidential and exempt from public inspection and copying, as provided under Section 7 of The Freedom of Information Act, and the information shall not be transmitted outside the Department, except as provided in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and shall not be transmitted to anyone within the Department except as needed for the purposes of evaluation of an application for employment.