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MIAMs · England & Wales

What is a MIAM?

A MIAM, or Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, is a private meeting with a family mediator accredited by the Family Mediation Council. In England and Wales you must attend one before applying to the family court in most child or financial cases, unless an exemption applies.

It lasts about an hour, you attend separately from your ex-partner, and the mediator explains your options, assesses whether mediation is safe and suitable, and signs your court form if you need it. The MIAM is not mediation itself. It is the information and assessment meeting that comes first.

Last reviewed · 12 June 2026 · Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy

Required by s.10 Children and Families Act 2014 · Conducted to the FMC MIAM Standards · Court forms signed under FPR r.3.9(1)

~1 hourA MIAM is a single meeting, not a course of sessions. The FMC expects it to take about an hour.
£138 inc VATOur standard online MIAM, per person (£115 + VAT). Free if you qualify for legal aid.
4 monthsA mediator’s signature on a court form is treated as valid for four months.
FMCA onlyOnly Family Mediation Council accredited mediators can sign court forms. All of ours can.

What does MIAM stand for?

MIAM stands for Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. The name describes exactly what it does: it gives you information about mediation and the alternatives to court, and the mediator carries out an assessment of whether mediation is safe and suitable for your situation. Both parts happen in the one meeting.

Watch: what a MIAM is, and what it means if you are thinking about family court.

It applies in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different family law systems and do not use MIAMs.

What happens at a MIAM?

Your mediator works to a structure set by the Family Mediation Council’s MIAM Standards. In plain terms, the meeting covers five things:

  1. Confidentiality and the principles of mediation

    What stays private, the limited exceptions, and the fact that mediation is voluntary.

  2. Information about your options

    How mediation works, realistic costs and timescales, and the other ways to resolve things out of court.

  3. A safety and wellbeing assessment

    Sensitive, structured questions about domestic abuse, coercive control and safeguarding.

  4. A suitability decision

    You, your ex-partner and the mediator each have a say in whether mediation goes ahead.

  5. Next steps, in writing

    Mediation dates, a signed court form, or signposting to the right support, depending on the outcome.

For a fuller walk-through of each stage, see what happens at a MIAM.

What is a MIAM Infographic MIAM UK

Is a MIAM compulsory?

In most cases, yes. Section 10 of the Children and Families Act 2014 made attending a MIAM a requirement before you can apply to the family court for a child arrangements order or a financial order, unless you qualify for an exemption. The court will not accept your application without either a mediator’s confirmation that you attended a MIAM, or valid evidence of an exemption. There is more, including the rare cases where it genuinely is not required, on is a MIAM compulsory.

There is an important detail most guides get wrong: the requirement is not limited to the C100. It also covers financial applications on Form A, and a specific set of children applications made on forms C1 and C2. We set this out in full on which forms need a MIAM.

If you think an exemption applies to you, for example because of domestic abuse, urgency or child protection involvement, see MIAM exemptions for the complete list and the evidence the court expects.

Is the MIAM certificate the same as the FM1?

Not quite, and the difference trips up a lot of websites. What people call the “MIAM certificate” is the mediator’s confirmation that you attended a MIAM or are exempt. How that confirmation reaches the court depends on which application you are making:

For a C100 (child arrangements) or Form A (financial order), the MIAM confirmation is built into the application form itself, signed by the mediator. There is no separate certificate to attach.

For a C1 or C2 application, such as a parental responsibility order or permission to change a child’s surname, the mediator completes a separate form, the FM1, which is filed alongside your C1 or C2. The FM1 is not an application for a court order in its own right. It travels with the application.

So the FM1 is one way the MIAM outcome is recorded, used with C1 and C2 applications, rather than a universal “certificate”. Around fourteen years ago the FM1 accompanied all relevant applications, which is why older guides still describe it as the general MIAM certificate. Full detail is on the MIAM certificate.

Who needs to attend a MIAM?

You will usually need a MIAM if you are planning to ask the family court to decide something and an agreement has not been reached. That commonly includes:

If you are Typically because
A separating parent You need arrangements for where the children live and how time is shared, and you may apply for a child arrangements order (C100).
Divorcing or dissolving a civil partnership You need a financial order dividing assets, property, pensions or maintenance (Form A).
A grandparent or other relative You are seeking the court’s permission to apply for contact with, or arrangements for, a child.
Changing something about a child You need a specific issue or prohibited steps order, for example about schooling or relocation.

You will not need a MIAM if you and your ex-partner have already agreed everything and only need the court to make it binding through a consent order, or if a recognised exemption applies. For more on this, see who needs a MIAM.

How long does a MIAM take, and can it be done online?

A MIAM is a single meeting lasting around an hour. The FMC expects this, and mediators are asked to record the reason if a MIAM takes less than 45 minutes. It is not a series of sessions; mediation sessions, if you go ahead, come later.

It can be held online by video call, by telephone in some circumstances, or in person. An online MIAM is exactly as valid as one held in a room, and it is usually quicker to arrange. We conduct ours online across England and Wales. See online MIAMs for how that works.

How much does a MIAM cost?

Fees vary by provider. Ours are fixed and stated including VAT, with nothing added afterwards:

Option Cost Notes
Standard MIAM £138 inc VAT £115 + VAT, per person. Around an hour, by video call.
Urgent MIAM £222 inc VAT £185 + VAT, per person. Same or next working day.
With legal aid Free If you qualify. Eligibility can be checked in about two minutes.

The fee covers the meeting itself. On a standard MIAM the signed court form is charged separately (£66 inc VAT); it is included with an urgent MIAM, and free with legal aid. For an honest comparison with other providers, including services cheaper than ours, see MIAM costs compared.

Ready to book, or not sure yet? Your MIAM is conducted by one of our named, FMC-accredited mediators, each verifiable on the public register. Book a standard MIAM, or call us first on 0330 999 0959.

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Quick answers

What is a MIAM: common questions

Is the MIAM the same as mediation?

No. The MIAM is the information and assessment meeting that comes before mediation. The mediator explains the process and assesses whether mediation is safe and suitable. Only if it is suitable, and both people are willing, do joint mediation sessions follow.

Do both people attend the same MIAM?

No. MIAMs are held separately. You attend your own, and your ex-partner is invited to theirs. This lets safety and suitability be discussed openly. You are never put in the same meeting at the MIAM stage.

What if my ex-partner refuses to attend their MIAM?

You can still proceed. The mediator records that the other person declined, and you receive your signed court form regardless. Their refusal does not stop you applying to court.

Who can conduct a MIAM?

Only a family mediator accredited by the Family Mediation Council, an FMCA mediator, can conduct a MIAM and sign your court form. This is set out in the Family Procedure Rules, rule 3.9(1). You can verify any of our mediators on the FMC’s public register.

How soon can I get a MIAM?

A standard MIAM can usually be arranged within a few days. If you are facing a court deadline, an urgent MIAM can be held the same or next working day.

Is a MIAM free?

It is free if you qualify for legal aid, and we hold a Legal Aid Agency contract. Otherwise our standard MIAM is £138 including VAT per person. You can check legal aid eligibility in about two minutes.

Sources and further reading

Reviewed by Jess Knauf, Director of Client Strategy, Mediate UK. MIAM UK is a trading name of Family Legal Ltd. Last reviewed 12 June 2026.