A more thorough explanation:

Legal risk placement is a type of foster care placement where a child is placed with prospective permanent adoptive parents before the rights of the natural parents have been surrendered or terminated with finality. This means that there is a possibility that the prospective adoptive parents may lose custody of the child.

For example, if a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they may be placed in a legal risk placement with a family who wants to adopt them. However, if the natural parents are able to address the issues that led to the removal of the child and regain custody, the child may be returned to them instead of staying with the adoptive family.

Another example is if a child is placed in a legal risk placement and the natural parents decide to fight for custody in court. If the court decides that the natural parents are fit to care for the child, the adoptive family may lose custody.

These examples illustrate how legal risk placement can be uncertain and risky for both the child and the prospective adoptive family.