Shelter

• All parents are required to provide adequate housing for their child. Housing should meet basic needs, sheltering the family from weather as well as fulfilling Tennessee building codes. Parents are not required to be homeowners, and can rent an apartment or home. Children do not require their own room, but occupancy of the home should not exceed the legal limit according to the lease or deed.
  
  

Food and Water

• Children need sustenance to grow and remain healthy. Tennessee law requires that parents provide regular healthy meals to their child, and that the child have access to clean water. For parents with limited income, welfare and food stamp programs can help provide food for their families.
  
  

Safe Environment

• A safe environment is not merely a house or apartment. Parents are legally obligated to maintain an environment that keeps their child free from drugs and alcohol. Parents are encouraged to provide positive reinforcement and influence children to make informed decisions.
  
  

Education

• All children in Tennessee must attend school. Parents may enroll their child in a local public school system, send them to a private school or teach them in home school. Parents have the right to choose a school district that is reasonably close to their child, and the school district is obligated to provide transportation for the child to and from school, if necessary.