Reporting Child Abuse
Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403(i)(1) requires all persons to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. "Any person who has knowledge of or is called upon to render aid to any child who is suffering from or has sustained any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition, shall report such harm immediately if the harm is of such a nature as to reasonably in indicated that it has been caused by brutality abuse, or neglect or that, on basis of available information, reasonably appears to have been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect."
Reporting options to make a referral to the State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services by calling, 877-237-0004, making the referral online at https://apps.tn.gov/carat/, or by fax at 615-361-7041. You should always consider a consultation with a competent attorney who practices in this field If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected to find out what other options you may have.
Note: The website and fax are for non-emergent situations only, however due to my experience with the hotline intake person rewording, leaving off important details, and generally totally botching up my referral such that it gets screened out, I prefer to make a referral using the website, that way your exact words and language are being read by the person using the screening process not someone interpreting your words. As an individual calling in you will never get feedback or see the referral to know they got it right so make your referral count as much as possible.
Whether calling in or using the website, have as much information as possible ready names, addresses dates of birth of children, and as detailed a description of your allegations as possible. DCS has a screening process where all referrals are funneled through and come out with either being assigned a priority such as P1, P2, or P3, or being "screened out" as not meeting criteria as to have any "safety issues".
Having had referrals I myself personally made be screened out, I generally tell anyone making a referral to write your notes up ahead of time and you need to emphasize "The sky is falling" type of an approach, prioritize your allegations with the most critical first such as (in no particular order) sexual abuse, physical abuse, a drug exposed child, medical neglect, educational neglect, environmental neglect, etc...
Reporting options to make a referral to the State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services by calling, 877-237-0004, making the referral online at https://apps.tn.gov/carat/, or by fax at 615-361-7041. You should always consider a consultation with a competent attorney who practices in this field If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected to find out what other options you may have.
Note: The website and fax are for non-emergent situations only, however due to my experience with the hotline intake person rewording, leaving off important details, and generally totally botching up my referral such that it gets screened out, I prefer to make a referral using the website, that way your exact words and language are being read by the person using the screening process not someone interpreting your words. As an individual calling in you will never get feedback or see the referral to know they got it right so make your referral count as much as possible.
Whether calling in or using the website, have as much information as possible ready names, addresses dates of birth of children, and as detailed a description of your allegations as possible. DCS has a screening process where all referrals are funneled through and come out with either being assigned a priority such as P1, P2, or P3, or being "screened out" as not meeting criteria as to have any "safety issues".
Having had referrals I myself personally made be screened out, I generally tell anyone making a referral to write your notes up ahead of time and you need to emphasize "The sky is falling" type of an approach, prioritize your allegations with the most critical first such as (in no particular order) sexual abuse, physical abuse, a drug exposed child, medical neglect, educational neglect, environmental neglect, etc...