Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Expanding Zero to Three Court Programs
This bill changes Tennessee laws about court programs for young children by including kids up to five years old and giving special attention to those under three.
What This Bill Does
- Changes the goals of zero to three court programs to include cases involving children who are five years old or younger.
- Gives priority to cases involving children younger than three years old in these court programs.
- Aims to reduce how long it takes for young children to find permanent homes by helping families with support services.
- Works to lower the chances of repeated abuse among young children.
- Seeks to lessen the harmful effects on brain development caused by traumatic experiences when a child is five years old or younger.
Who It Names or Affects
- Children who are five years old or younger and their families
- Courts that handle cases involving these young children
Terms To Know
- Permanency
- Finding a stable, long-term home for a child.
- Maltreatment
- Abuse or neglect of a child.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not specify how the court programs will be funded.
- It is unclear what specific support services will be provided to families.