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.

The purpose of this initial meeting is three-fold:

• For the mediator to determine whether mediation is suitable and safe to proceed

• For the mediator to hear from the client about the issues that need resolving

• For the mediator to provide the client with key information about the process and alternative options and support, so they can decide if mediation is right for them.

MIAMs are held with both parties individually and tend to 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.

A MIAM costs £85.
Signed court form (eg. C100, Form A) is an additional fee of £25.