I'm not sure about your personal situation, but I'll share what I know from my parents. They are Caucasian foster parents and have been for over 25 years. In 1985, they received placement of an AA premature baby girl with cocaine in her system. As soon as she was up to 5 lbs. my parents were allowed to bring her home from the hospital on monitors to alert if her heart or lungs stopped working (occasionally they did go off, but nothing ever serious happened. She always started right back up
).
She seemed to grow and develop normally with only a few minor asthma problems that she outgrew as a toddler. When she was around 3 years old, the social worker let it slip to my mom that they were looking for a forever home for her. My mom said that they wanted to adopt her. When my mom pressed the issue further, she was told that AA children need AA parents (although my parents were just fine to raise her when they thought she might be mentally delayed due to drug use). For 3 years, our family was her only family and they wanted to remove her for no reason other than the fact that we were all white.
When it seemed the county was not going to budge, my parents quickly hired an attorney. At this time I was only 10 years old, so I honestly do not remember the exact time frame from start to finish. But my mom has always said that the county backed down as soon as the attorney showed up. My family adopted that girl and she is my 18 year old sister and a wonderful blessing.
Around 6 or 7 years later, my parents had another AA baby girl placed with them, she was around 6 months old. Beautiful and sweet, we loved her. Then right before Easter, the social worker showed up at the house and took her without warning. They told my parents they had a family for her and took her that day. My parents were crushed and considered to stop fostering. I honestly think that the county was "getting back at my parents" because they pursued my sister so hard and that's why they snuck around and found a different family for that baby girl. I've always seen and been told that when and if a child is free for adoption, the foster family is given first preference.
That is our story and I wish you the best of luck in your adoption process.
Tammi