MIAMs

Attending a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) is the first stage of the Family Mediation Process.

MIAMs are individual, confidential meetings and typically last about an hour.

At your MIAM:

  • You will have an opportunity to tell the mediator about your own unique personal situation and concerns.
  • We will explain the mediation process to help you to decide whether you would like to move on to joint sessions (if the other party also agrees).
  • We will also assess whether, in our professional view, the case is suitable for mediation.
  • We will talk about alternative routes / sources of assistance that may be available to you.
Book a MIAM Explore FAQs

Going to a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) isn’t the same as going to a Joint Mediation Session. A MIAM will help you understand the options available to sort out the issues that need to be resolved, and to choose the best option for your individual circumstances.

What happens after my Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) ?

Following your MIAM:

  • You can decide whether you want to proceed with mediation or explore another option for resolving issues.
  • The mediator can give you information about other relevant services and organisations who provide help and support.
  • Because mediation is a voluntary process, we can only move on to Joint Mediation Sessions if everyone agrees after both of you have attended your confidential MIAM.
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Joint Mediation Sessions

Following the Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) stage, Joint Mediation Sessions can be booked if both clients wish to proceed and the mediator feels that mediation is appropriate.

Both clients will need to sign an Agreement to Mediate before the first joint mediation session. We can talk about this further at your MIAM.

How do Joint Mediation Sessions work?

Joint mediation sessions involve both parties. They can take place in person or online. We usually schedule 90 minutes for joint mediation sessions.

Joint mediation sessions are voluntary and confidential.

You will identify the issues you wish to discuss in mediation. The Mediator will guide you through these discussions, giving you both an opportunity to express your opinions and concerns.

Mediators are trained to:

  • Listen and help you both to work out what has to be dealt with.
  • Discuss what your options might be and what might work best for the future.
  • Make sure you both have chance to speak and be heard.
  • Provide any information needed to help your discussions.
  • Tell you when you might need further independent advice on matters (such as pensions).
  • Ensure decisions are made jointly, are fair for both of you, for any children involved, and for your family circumstances.

When you reach agreement, the mediator can put it in writing and make sure you are both clear about what it means.

What happens at the end of the Mediation Process?

If you reach an agreement, we can put it in writing.

We can draft documents such as Parenting Plans and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). These may cover issues such as child arrangements, property matters and finance arrangements.

Both parties will have agreed to the decisions made about these issues. The document will be signed by both clients to confirm this agreement.

This document is confidential and prepared on a ‘without prejudice’ basis. This means it is not legally binding and cannot be used in court proceedings.

You can share this document with your Solicitor, if you have one.

This document can also be used as the basis to draft a Consent Order (if you would like to apply to the Court to ask for your agreement to be made legally binding).

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