The Challenge We Must Address
Tennessee relies on dedicated state employees to serve children and families — including those who step up to foster. Yet today, support for state employees who become foster parents is limited, inconsistent, and often financially burdensome during the critical first weeks of welcoming a child into their home.
Across the state:
- Foster parents must quickly adjust to a child’s physical, emotional, and educational needs
- Many state employees must use sick or vacation time — or go unpaid — when a foster placement occurs
- Foster care placements can happen with little notice, making preparation difficult
- Lack of guaranteed paid leave creates added stress during an already sensitive transition
- Families balancing work and fostering often struggle to maintain stability for the child
Without targeted support, Tennessee risks placing additional strain on families who are providing safe, temporary homes for children in crisis — and risks discouraging potential foster parents.
The Solution: Coordinate and Strengthen Workforce Development
SB 0938 / HB 0957 would update Tennessee’s state employee leave policies to provide six workweeks of mandatory paid leave for eligible full-time state employees who become foster parents of a minor child.
The bill:
- Ensures paid leave can be taken within 12 months of a foster placement
- Requires employees to give 30 days’ notice when possible, while allowing flexibility for unexpected placements
- Defines eligibility as full-time employment for at least 12 consecutive months within specified state entities
- Limits leave to six workweeks in a 12-month period, even if multiple placements occur
- Counts the leave as full-time employment for service anniversary purposes
This effort strengthens family stability, supports foster parents during critical bonding and adjustment time, and aligns Tennessee with best-practice family-support policies.
What you can do: Be a loud voice for little kids and families!
Your voice matters — and legislators need to hear directly from Tennesseans who believe in supporting foster families, strengthening the child-welfare system, and valuing the state employees who serve our communities.
Take a moment to email your state legislators and urge them to support paid foster-parent leave for eligible state employees. A quick message (2–3 minutes) makes a real impact.
Before sending, consider adding one or two sentences about:
- Your experience with fostering, kinship care, or supporting families involved in child welfare
- How paid leave would strengthen stability for children entering foster homes
- Why supporting state employees who foster matters for Tennessee’s families and workforce
Personal stories — even brief ones — make a powerful impact.
