Tennessee § 37-5-513 Inspection of persons or entities providing child care

Tennessee Statutes

§ 37-5-513 — Inspection of persons or entities providing child care

Tennessee § 37-5-513

Title37

This text of Tennessee § 37-5-513 (Inspection of persons or entities providing child care) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-5-513 (2026).

Text

(a)(1) It is the duty of the department, through its duly authorized agents, to inspect at regular intervals, without previous notice, all child care agencies or suspected child care agencies, as defined in § 37-5-501 .

(2)It is the duty of the department, through its duly authorized agents, to inspect, at least twice per year, without previous notice, all nontraditional child care agencies or suspected nontraditional child care agencies.

(b)(1) The department is given the right of entrance, privilege of inspection, access to accounts, records, and information regarding the whereabouts of children under care for the purpose of determining the kind and quality of the care provided to the children and to obtain a proper basis for its decisions and recommendations.

(2)If refused entrance

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(a) (1) It is the duty of the department, through its duly authorized agents, to inspect at regular intervals, without previous notice, all child care agencies or suspected child care agencies, as defined in § 37-5-501 . (2) It is the duty of the department, through its duly authorized agents, to inspect, at least twice per year, without previous notice, all nontraditional child care agencies or suspected nontraditional child care agencies. (b) (1) The department is given the right of entrance, privilege of inspection, access to accounts, records, and information regarding the whereabouts of children under care for the purpose of determining the kind and quality of the care provided to the children and to obtain a proper basis for its decisions and recommendations. (2) If refused entrance for inspection of a licensed, approved or suspected child care agency, the chancery or circuit court of the county where the licensed, approved or suspected child care agency may be located may issue an immediate ex parte order permitting the department's inspection upon a showing of probable cause, and the court may direct any law enforcement officer to aid the department in executing such order and inspection. Refusal by the child care agency to obey the inspection order may be punished as contempt. (c) Any violation of the rights given in this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (d) Upon request by the department, an approved or suspected child care agency that provides, or is suspected of providing, residential child care shall provide a census of the number and names of children currently in the agency's care. (e) (1) Upon the escape or disappearance of a child in the care of an approved child care agency, the agency shall immediately report the disappearance of the child to the department and the chief law enforcement officer of the county in which the agency is located. The report must include, at a minimum: (A) The facts of the disappearance; (B) The time the child escaped or disappeared; (C) The circumstances under which the escape or disappearance occurred; and (D) A description of the missing child, including the child's age, size, complexion, race, and color of hair and eyes. (2) The agency shall designate an individual who is responsible for making the required reports pursuant to subdivision (e)(1). An individual so designated by the agency who intentionally fails to comply with the reporting requirement commits a Class B misdemeanor.