THE Queensland Attorney- General's office has explained the inter-country adoption process which has had 112 adoptions in the past five years.

"Children adopted from the Philippines to Australia through the usual inter- country adoption process are generally not known or related to their prospective adoptive parents," a spokesman said.

"State and territory central authorities assess Australian prospective adoptive parents' suitability to adopt children from overseas countries with which Australia has an intercountry adoption program, including the Philippines.

"These central authorities send Australian intercountry adoption applications to the overseas country's central authority for review (to ensure it meets the country's requirements) and matching with a child.

"Australian prospective adoptive parents may also apply to adopt a child from overseas who is known or related to them, including from the Philippines.

"The key difference between a usual intercountry adoption and the inter- country adoption of a known or relative child, is the starting point for a known or relative child adoption is the overseas central authority determining that the child is adoptable, and that an intercountry adoption is in their best interests.

"Each Australian state and territory has its own eligibility criteria. Most states' legislation require the child to be under the age of 18 years. Some states have policy requirements that may mean they will not facilitate an application to adopt an older child."

Twenty-four of the 112 finalised intercountry adoptions to Queensland were from the Philippines.