A MIAM is a private meeting with an accredited mediator from an accredited family mediation practice. It gives you the opportunity to explain your situation, understand the different ways your dispute could be resolved and consider whether mediation or another form of non-court dispute resolution is suitable. The mediator will discuss with you whether a shuttle mediation will be more appropriate or a form of hybrid mediation involving your solicitor or financial advisor. It is not a mediation session and you do not attend the meeting together with your former partner. At Marcia Mediation, MIAMs are conducted by experienced, family mediators , who may in financial cases be former solicitors.
MIAM stands for: Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting
Typical length: Around one hour
Who attends: You and the mediator; your former partner has a separate meeting
Available online: Yes
Is mediation compulsory afterwards? No
Is a MIAM usually required before family court? Yes for most applications concerning children and finances
Do you need a MIAM simply to get divorced? No — the requirement relates to certain children and financial applications rather than the divorce application itself
A MIAM is the first meeting you have with a family mediator.
Its purpose is to help you understand your options before starting family court proceedings and to assess whether mediation or another way of resolving the dispute outside court could be appropriate.
During your MIAM, you have a confidential opportunity to explain what has happened, what needs to be resolved, how you might like things to be resolved, and any concerns you have about safety, communication or taking part in mediation. The mediator will often discuss with you what communications are like with your former partner and the impact this may have on mediation.
The mediator will discuss with you whether a shuttle mediation will be more appropriate or some form of hybrid mediation involving your solicitor or financial advisor
The mediator will explain how family mediation works and can also discuss other possible forms of non-court dispute resolution where relevant.
This may be particularly useful if you need to resolve disagreements about child arrangements, property, money, pensions or other financial matters following separation or divorce.
A MIAM is therefore more than a procedural step before court. It is an opportunity to understand the realistic routes available to you before deciding what to do next.
A MIAM is an individual information and assessment meeting. Family mediation is the process that may follow if both participants and the mediator agree that mediation is appropriate.
You are not committing yourself to mediation by attending a MIAM.
The mediator’s role at this stage is to help you understand your options and assess whether mediation can be conducted safely and effectively in your circumstances.
If mediation is not suitable, or you decide not to proceed with it, the mediator can explain the next steps available to you.
For many family court applications in England and Wales, you need a MIAM before family court.
A prospective applicant will normally need to attend a MIAM before starting certain private-law proceedings involving children or a contested financial remedy application, unless a valid MIAM exemption applies.
Typical examples include applications concerning:
Child arrangements, including where a child lives or spends time; prohibited steps and specific issues relating to a child; and financial disputes following separation, divorce or dissolution.
However, there is an important distinction.
You do not need to attend a MIAM simply in order to make the divorce application itself.
The MIAM requirement becomes relevant where you need the family court to resolve certain disputes connected with the separation. This is most commonly applicable in arrangements for children or financial matters.
This distinction is important because people often search for a “divorce MIAM” when what they actually need help resolving is a financial or parenting issue arising from the divorce.
If you are unsure whether the application you are considering requires a MIAM, speak to one of our accredited family mediators and we can explain how the process applies to your circumstances.
Your MIAM is conducted separately from the other person.
During the meeting:
You can ask questions throughout the meeting. You do not need to decide in advance that you want to mediate.
A MIAM normally lasts around one hour.
The exact time depends on your circumstances and the issues you need to discuss. A straightforward meeting may take less time, while a more complex situation can take longer.
The meeting needs to allow enough time for the mediator to understand your circumstances, discuss your options, consider safety and suitability and answer your questions.
If you are booking a MIAM, it is sensible to allow approximately one hour.
The Family Procedure Rules envisage MIAMs taking place promptly and we will schedule your MIAM to suit the requirements and urgency of your case.
Contact us to discuss current appointment availability.
Nowadays, most mediation can be conducted remotely. A MIAM can be conducted online by video, allowing you to speak privately with an accredited mediator without travelling to an office.
Marcia Mediation provides online family mediation services across England and Wales as well as in-person services in selected locations.
An online MIAM follows the same assessment process and can be used for the purposes of a relevant family court application.
MIAMs are conducted separately, so your ex-partner does not need to attend.
You can speak openly to the mediator about your circumstances without your former partner being present.
If appropriate, the mediator may subsequently contact the other person about attending their own MIAM and considering mediation.
If the other person refuses to attend their MIAM, that does not prevent you from making a court application. The important point is that you have complied with the MIAM requirement yourself where it applies.
There are specific circumstances in which you may not have to attend a MIAM before making a relevant family court application.
These can include circumstances involving domestic abuse, child protection concerns, genuine urgency, recent MIAM or other non-court dispute resolution attendance, particular existing proceedings, certain practical barriers to attendance and some other circumstances specified in the Family Procedure Rules.
Some exemptions require evidence, for example, where a MIAM exemption is claimed because of domestic abuse, the court rules specify the forms of evidence that may be relied upon.
The court can examine whether an exemption has been correctly claimed. If the court decides that an exemption was not valid, or is no longer applicable, it can direct the applicant or parties to attend a MIAM and may adjourn proceedings so that this can happen.
MIAM exemptions are rare and more specific than simply believing that mediation will not work.
You should therefore take care before claiming an exemption on a court application.
If you are unsure whether your circumstances fall within one of the recognised exemptions, we can discuss your situation with you and explain the MIAM process.
Where there is an immediate risk to you or a child, appropriate legal or emergency support should take priority.
There are several possible next steps after a MIAM, which will be discussed with your mediator and agreed depending on the outcome of the assessment.
If the mediator considers mediation appropriate and both people are willing to take part, mediation sessions will be arranged.
These could deal with child arrangements, financial matters, property or other issues arising from separation.
Mediation can take place online and, where appropriate, different formats can be used so that participants do not necessarily need to sit together.
The mediator will have discussed with you whether a shuttle mediation will be more appropriate or some form of hybrid mediation involving your solicitor or financial advisor.
Following changes to the Family Procedure Rules, MIAMs are not limited to explaining mediation.
Your mediator can also help you understand other types of non-court dispute resolution that may be relevant to your situation.
The aim is to help you make an informed decision about how the issues should be resolved rather than assuming that court is automatically the only alternative to mediation.
If mediation is not appropriate, or it does not proceed, you will be able to apply to the family court.
Where the MIAM requirement applies, an authorised family mediation service will provide the necessary confirmation of your attendance on the relevant court paperwork.
Marcia Mediation provides experienced family mediation for people dealing with separation, parenting arrangements and financial disputes across England and Wales.
Marcia Lister has worked exclusively as an independent family mediator since 2004. She is a former solicitor , Family Mediation Council accredited mediator, accredited for all issues and qualified to sign family court forms. She is also qualified to undertake work involving children in mediation.
Michael Lister is a former solicitor with commercial experience in more complex financial cases, for example those concerning family businesses.
All our mediators have experience in complex pension cases where a pension sharing order is appropriate or a report from a PODE may be required.
Our approach is impartial, practical and forward focused on helping you understand the options available so that you can take action to move forward
You can also meet our mediation team to learn more about their qualifications and areas of experience.
MIAM stands for Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. It is an individual meeting with an accredited family mediator that normally takes place before certain family court applications.
Usually around one hour. More complex circumstances may require slightly longer.
A MIAM is normally required before certain family court applications concerning children or financial remedies unless a recognised exemption applies. Mediation itself is not compulsory.
Rarely. If a valid MIAM exemption applies, you may be able to make the relevant court application without attending one. The exemptions are specifically defined and the court can check whether an exemption has been correctly claimed.
Not for the divorce application itself. A MIAM may be required if you subsequently need to make certain court applications concerning children or financial arrangements.
Yes. In fact, MIAMs are conducted separately. Your former partner does not attend your meeting with you.
You can still attend your own MIAM. If the other person refuses to participate, your mediator can explain the next step and, where appropriate, provide the confirmation required for your court application.
Yes. MIAMs can be carried out by video and Marcia Mediation provides online services across England and Wales.
The mediator will discuss your other options. If a court application is appropriate, an accredited mediator can provide the relevant confirmation that you attended a MIAM. The mediator will always discuss whether shuttle mediation or hybrid mediation might be an option.
Only an authorised family mediator can provide the required mediator confirmation for the relevant family court forms. Family Mediation Council accreditation identifies mediators who are qualified to do this.
For most family court applications, your MIAM should have taken place within the previous four months. If more time has passed, you may need to attend another MIAM unless an exemption applies.
A “MIAM certificate” is usually the mediator confirmation included within the relevant court form. For financial applications this is typically Form A, and for child arrangements Form C100. A separate FM1 form is used with certain C1 and C2 applications.
An appropriately accredited family mediation service can provide the required confirmation, and your mediator can explain which form applies to your situation.
Marcia Mediation was founded by Marcia Lister in 2014. A former family law solicitor, Marcia has long been a champion of the important role mediation plays in helping families resolve disputes constructively…
Marcia has worked exclusively as an independent family law mediator since 2004. She is an accredited Family Mediator, a qualified child consultant practitioner, and a qualified trainer of aspiring mediators. She is also a member of the Professional Mediators Association and Resolution.
Applying an approach built on empathy and pragmatism, Marcia has successfully helped families resolve a wide range of disputes involving both children and finances. Today, she leads an experienced team of family mediators, several of whom are former family solicitors, combining extensive mediation expertise with valuable legal insight.
If you have any questions, call us on 0330 236 7450 or fill out this form
