In late 2018 David Tobis came to the University of Central Lancashire as a visiting professor to work with Andy Bilson on promoting parental advocacy. They approached a number of parent advocacy groups from around the world whose representatives came together in a series of on-line meetings and from this the idea of an international network was born.

In December 2018 parents and allies from Australia, Scotland, England and the United States came together for a week in Edinburgh. We appointed a steering committee to establish IPAN as a parent led organisation.