Important information — please read before your MIAM appointment.
A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) is a short, confidential meeting with an FMC-registered family mediator. It is a legal requirement before making most applications to the family court in England and Wales.
At your MIAM, your mediator will:
Explain what family mediation is and how it works
Assess whether your situation is suitable for mediation
Discuss your options for resolving your dispute outside of court
Answer any questions you have about the process
A MIAM is not a mediation session. It is an assessment meeting only. No decisions are made at a MIAM.
At the end of your MIAM, your mediator will complete the relevant court form (C100, Form A, or FM1) confirming that you have attended.
Important: Your MIAM certificate is valid for four months from the date of your appointment.
If you intend to make an application to the family court, you must do so within four months of your MIAM. If more than four months pass, your certificate will no longer be valid and you will need to attend a new MIAM before making a court application.
We strongly recommend that if you intend to proceed to court, you take steps to do so promptly and seek independent legal advice about your next steps.
We will contact the other party to invite them to attend their own MIAM (with your consent). There are three possible outcomes:
The other party attends a MIAM and both parties agree to try mediation — in which case joint mediation sessions can commence
The other party attends a MIAM but does not wish to proceed with mediation — in which case your mediator can complete the court form confirming mediation was attempted
The other party declines to attend a MIAM or does not respond — in which case your mediator can also complete the court form on this basis
We will contact you to let you know the outcome once we have heard from the other party. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable time, please do not hesitate to contact us for an update. We allow ten business working days for the other party to respond.
Please remember: if you wish to proceed to court, you must do so before your certificate expires — four months from your MIAM date.
Once your MIAM has taken place, the next steps depend on what you decide:
If you wish to proceed to mediation, we will arrange joint sessions and guide you through the process
If mediation is not suitable or the other party declines, you may use your MIAM certificate to make a court application within the four-month validity period
If you are unsure about your options, we recommend speaking to a family solicitor who can advise you on the best course of action for your circumstances
If you have any questions at any stage of the process, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at Digital MIAM.
Email: contact@digitalmiam.co.uk
Website chat: www.digitalmiam.co.uk
We are here to help you navigate this process as smoothly as possible.