A group of 13 foster children has filed a federal class action lawsuit against Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS), alleging neglect, unsafe living conditions, and systemic failures.
Filed in Nashville on Monday, the suit represents over 9,000 children in state custody and is backed by national advocacy group A Better Childhood and law firm Bass, Berry & Sims.
The foster youth claim DCS routinely leaves kids in temporary shelters for months, places them in unsafe facilities, and overburdens undertrained caseworkers. The lawsuit argues that conditions worsened after federal court oversight ended in 2017 and seeks reforms that include reduced caseloads, better placement standards, and more permanent homes.