About us

IPAN is dedicated to building a parent-led movement to transform child welfare.

 

Mission

The International Parent Advocacy Network (IPAN) will work to increase the influence of parents in child welfare decision making by supporting organizations and activities that promote parent advocacy and the influence and power of parents in child welfare. IPAN’s work will help ensure that children’s, parents’ and families’ needs are met and that their rights are protected.

What we do

  1. Promoting and developing parent advocacy globally, in low, middle and high-income countries, as well as regionally and locally.
  2. Providing a means for individuals and organisations involved in parent advocacy to share information and provide mutual support. This will be done through an on-line network, a website, workshops and conferences.
  3. Sharing lessons learned, examples of good practice and other resources on parental advocacy, child welfare, and related fields.
  4. Campaigning to strengthen the role of parents in child welfare systems and to promote parent advocacy. This includes support for activism to promote improvements in child welfare policy and practice to improve the well-being of children and families.
  5. Workshops and training on parents’ rights and parent participation.
  6. Publishing materials on parent advocacy.
  7. Holding conferences and training events.
  8. Providing consultation on parent advocacy and eventually creating a center to train parents to be parent advocates.
  9. Providing a website, social media, and other means to promote the goals, values and activities of parent advocacy.
  10. Promoting and supporting research and evaluation of parent advocacy.
  11. Any other activities aimed at promoting and developing parent advocacy that protect the rights of parents and meet the needs of their children and families.

Board Members

  • IPAN Logo

    Susan Jacobs

  • Maria Herczog Bio Photo

    Maria Herczog

  • IPAN Logo

    Ghazal Keshavarzian

  • IPAN Logo

    Melissa Critch

  • IPAN Logo

    John Morrissette

  • Karyn Walsh Bio Photo

    Karyn Walsh

  • IPAN Logo

    Susanna Salin

  • IPAN Logo

    Nora McCarthy

  • Tammy Mayes Bio Photo

    Tammy Mayes

  • Tony Lawlor

  • IPAN Logo

    Sana Malik

  • IPAN Logo

    Malin Widerlöv

  • Heather Cantemessa Portrait

    Heather Cantamessa, President

  • David Tobis Portrait

    David Tobis, Vice President

  • IPAN Logomark

    Richard Bryant, Treasurer

  • Taliah Drayak

    Taliah Drayak, Secretary and Director

  • Mike Arsham Bio Photo

    Mike Arsham

  • Ambrosia Eberhardt Bio Photo

    Ambrosia Eberhardt

  • Anna Gupta Bio Photo

    Anna Gupta

  • Mary Burton Bio Photo

    Mary Burton

  • Shantelle Common Bio Photo

    Shantelle Common

  • Bobbi Robertson Bio Photo

    Bobbi Robertson

  • Jessica Cocks Bio Photo

    Jessica Cocks

  • Florence Martin Bio Photo

    Florence Martin