MIAM stands for Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting.

It is the initial assessment meeting that must take place for the mediator to assess whether mediation is appropriate, but also a place to confidentially share your issues with the mediator and gain information on how mediation works.

MIAMs are held with both parties individually and last 45-minutes to an hour. We charge a lower rate as mediators WTA (Working Towards Accreditation), with all cases being conducted in line with FMC-guidelines and supervised by a Professional Practice Consultant.

They are often required to have taken place before an application to court can be made, unless you qualify for one of 15 exemptions.

Otherwise, courts require you to have considered mediation as an option. This is because they recognise the effectiveness of mediation; not only in resolving key disputes - but also in paving the way for better communication between separating parties going forward, less conflict overall and better co-parenting relationships that positively affect any children involved.