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Originally Posted by seabird
Do they place children they know are more likely needed to be adopted?
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When a child is initially removed from bio family it is because there is a risk of immediate harm. They have to be placed and the state typically has three options: kinship, foster home or program.
Then it is up to the bio parents to work the case plan and have the children returned or not work the case plan and eventually have parental rights terminated (also known as TPR) (and it takes a long time - two years or longer to get to a termination trial is not unusual).
If a child has been in a stable placement (family or foster home) then after TPR, that home will have the first option to adopt - some states will let family come forward at this point, some will not.
If family and foster home do not intend to adopt, then the state begins a search for another adoptive resource.
When babies go into care - the goal is usually not changed to adoption for at least one year. This kind of placement is sometimes called "legal risk". The foster home takes in the baby hoping to adopt but knowing that if the bio parents work their plan - the baby will be reunified with birth parents.
If you are looking for no legal risk (a child who is available for adoption) the referrals are likely to be older children (toddlers at least). My son went into care at 4 months - was placed with us at 11 months - bmom agreed to TPR at 26 months - and we adopted at 30 months.
We told our CW that we want to adopt again - and we are willing to accept another legal risk. So we have a six month old baby. Right now, mom seems to be working her plan - and that is great for her and for the baby. We'll see how it goes.
Good luck.