[laralong]

Can you explain legal risk to me? I am interested in adopting an orphaned infant and this might apply to me.

[Myguatcutees]

Legal Risk Adoptions: This term refers to an adoption program that is only available in some states, where prospective adoptive parents are allowed to become foster parents to children before they become legally available for adoption. If the parental rights of the biological parents of these foster children are able to be terminated, then the foster parents are allowed to adopt the children. If the parental rights of the biological parents of the child are not terminated, then the foster parents are not allowed to adopt the child. This is the "legal risk" that the foster parents know about in advance, and which they are willing to assume in exchange for the possibility that they may ultimately be able to adopt the child. In some cases, a termination of parental rights will be intentionally delayed until a specific adoptive family has been identified that can meet the specialized needs of the child.

[laralong]

Does anyone know if North Carolina has legal risk?

[dadfor2]

i think you need to check with your DSS office

I do believe most babies are considered legal risk. I could be wrong. From my understanding is that legal risk means that the child is not available for legal adoption.

which could either mean that the birth mother or father has not signed any papers to give the child up for adoption.

i could be wrong though.

dadfor2

[Lorraine123]

I thought all states did legal risk placement, but I could be wrong. Your DSS could tell you. My daughter is currently placed with me as legal risk, which means they have begun termination of parental rights and expect it to go through, but it isn't a done deal.

[newkid]

We decided to do a legal risk placement. We decided that the longer a child could be in our care ( skipping other foster homes) the better it would be for the child. It might be hard if our child has to leave but we wouldn't have done it any other way.