MIAMs explained — the mediation information and assessment meeting

Before most family court applications about children or money, you must attend a

Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). Family Procedure Rules 2010,

Part 3 and Practice Direction 3A require it. Here is what a MIAM actually is, what it

costs, and when you can skip it.

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31

What a MIAM is

A MIAM is a short, single meeting with an accredited family mediator — usually 45 minutes to an hour, often by video. It is not mediation itself. It has two purposes:

1. To explain what mediation (and other non-court options) could do in your situation 2. To assess whether your case is suitable for mediation — screening for domestic abuse, coercive control, safety concerns and urgency

You attend the MIAM alone. The other person is invited to their own separate MIAM if mediation seems possible.

When you need one

You must attend a MIAM (or the court must be satisfied you are exempt) before:

Applying for a child arrangements order — form C100, section on MIAM
Applying for a prohibited steps or specific issue order
Starting financial remedy proceedings after divorce or dissolution (form A)
Applying for an order under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989

If you apply without a MIAM and without a valid exemption, the court can dismiss your application or direct you to attend — wasting weeks.

Exemptions — when you can go straight to court

Practice Direction 3A lists exemptions. The common ones:

Domestic abuse: you have evidence of abuse (police call-outs, a non-molestation or occupation order, a letter from a doctor, a domestic abuse support service referral, or a conviction/caution). There is a detailed evidence menu — see our dedicated guide on MIAM exemptions for domestic abuse
Urgency: e.g. a child is about to be taken abroad, or you need an order quickly to protect the child
Previous MIAM: you already attended a MIAM about the same dispute within the last 4 months
Other person won't engage: the respondent's whereabouts are unknown, they are in prison, or they have refused to attend or respond
International elements: e.g. there is a live abduction or relocation issue
You have no contact details for the other party

You sign a Form FM1 (signed by the mediator if you attended, or by you with the exemption ticked) and file it with your application.

Warning: wrongly claiming an exemption is treated seriously and courts check the evidence menu. If in doubt, attend the MIAM — going to it does not commit you to mediation.

What happens after the MIAM

If mediation is suitable and both people agree to try it, the mediator arranges joint sessions. If not — because of abuse, unwillingness, unsuitability or the mediator's view — the mediator signs your FM1 confirming you complied, and you can issue your court application. Many cases end here: a 2023 government evaluation found that after MIAMs, most cases did not proceed to mediation or to court.

Cost

Legal aid covers the MIAM for those financially eligible — and legal aid-funded mediation is free, including for the responding party in many cases
Otherwise expect roughly £100–£200+ for the MIAM (mediators set their own rates)
If both of you go on to mediate about children, the government's Family Mediation Voucher Scheme contributes up to £500 towards the mediation sessions (not the MIAM itself) — the scheme has been extended and the mediator applies for it, so you do not need to apply yourself
Vouchers are limited to one per family/case

How to find a mediator

Use the Family Mediation Council's search tool: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk
Or the Ministry of Justice mediation search: https://www.gov.uk/family-mediation
Check the mediator is FMCA-accredited so the voucher scheme and legal aid can apply

What to prepare

A short summary of the dispute (children: who lives where, contact patterns; money: rough assets, income, pensions)
Dates of separation
Any safety concerns — tell the mediator openly; MIAMs are designed to screen for them
Questions you want answered about how mediation works

Common mistakes

Booking a MIAM and expecting the other person's attendance — they are invited separately
Treating the MIAM as a place to argue your case — it is an assessment, not a hearing
Paying privately for a MIAM when legal aid may have covered it
Claiming an exemption without the PD3A evidence to back it up
Filing a C100 without the FM1 — the court will return it

Official links

Family Procedure Rules Part 3 / PD3A: https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/family
Family mediation (gov.uk): https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce/mediation
Family Mediation Voucher Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/family-mediation-voucher-scheme
C100 form: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-court-forms
Legal aid eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.