The National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers will be open to all officers in England who review the cases of looked-after children.
Under section 10 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, the role of the officer was strengthened, giving them responsibility for monitoring the performance of the local authority.
The new regulations also state each child must have a named IRO who will ensure the views of the children and young people are taken into account.
Children's charity Tact funded Jon Fayle, head of the Children Law UK division of Tact, to develop the association.
He said: "It seemed to some that IROs are in a key position to influence outcomes for looked-after children and it would be very helpful to have a greater collective influence over policy and practice at a national level."
The association aims to improve outcomes for looked-after children by strengthening understanding and recognition of the role of the IRO, influencing the legal and policy framework and the reviewing processes at national and local level.
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