MEMPHIS, Tenn. — We already knew that the state of Tennessee is doing a horrible job caring for children in foster care.
Now we know the problem is even worse than we thought.
A state agency report leaves no doubt about the gravity of the issue. Tennessee struggles with foster care instability at a level not seen in the rest the country. That’s a direct quote from the report released last week by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.
The report found that over 33% of children removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect – are placed in three or more foster homes in the first 12 months.
That’s more than a third of foster kids being shuttled to three or more different places in a year. The national average is just under 15%. And this is not new. Tennessee has had the nation’s highest rate of foster care instability since 2016 – with fewer children being placed in settled neighborhoods – and more going to development centers and juvenile justice facilities.
This is unacceptable, and everyone in state government – from the governor on down – should be embarrassed. Democratic lawmakers are right to keep criticizing Governor Bill Lee’s administration and legislative leaders for failing our foster children. But this is not a partisan issue. Everyone should be working together to get this fixed and remove a terrible stain – on our state.
I’m Otis Sanford, and that’s my point of view.