Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM)
The Children and Families Act 2014 includes provision to require the potential applicant to attend a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM) before being able to apply for certain types of court order. This supercedes the pre-application protocol applicable from 6 April 2011.
From 22 April 2014 applicants wishing to make an application in relevant family proceedings must provide a completed FM1 or signed application confirming that they have attended a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting or are exempt from doing so.
The assessment meeting will cover:
- Eligibility for public funding. (Please note: Public funding is not available from our mediators.)
- Information on family mediation and other alternative dispute resolution such as the collaborative process.
- Suitability for mediation.
- Willingness to mediate.
After the meeting with you and your former partner, held either individually or together, as you wish, you can proceed with the mediation, signing an Agreement to Mediate.
If mediation cannot take place, the signed FM1 or application will be provided to enable the applicant to go to court.