In a legal risk adoptive placement, the rights of the child's birth parents have not yet been voluntarily or involuntarily terminated.
This type of legal risk adoptive placement is made when efforts to provide reunification services have been discontinued, and the child's permanency goal is adoption. When an adoptive placement is identified, court proceedings will move towards termination of parental rights. A final decree of adoption may not be entered into until a termination of parental rights has occurred and all required consents are obtained, in accordance with applicable laws.
In the state of Utah, Legal Risk Adoptive Placements are defined as those in which reunification services have been terminated and the current goal is adoption. When an adoptive placement has been identified, parental rights will be terminated.
