Brighton family mediation — MIAMs and finding an accredited mediator
If you are separating or divorcing in Brighton and need to sort out arrangements for children, money or property, family mediation can help you reach agreement without a contested court case. In most cases you must first attend a MIAM — a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting — before you can issue certain family court applications. This page explains how that works locally and how to find a mediator accredited by the Family Mediation Council (FMC).
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31
What family mediation covers
Family mediation is a voluntary, confidential process in which an independent, trained mediator helps you and your former partner discuss and agree arrangements yourselves. It is commonly used for:
- Children — where children live, time with each parent, school, holidays, and communication between households.
- Finances and property — the family home, savings, debts, pensions and ongoing support after divorce or dissolution.
The mediator does not take sides or impose decisions. Agreements reached in mediation can be recorded in a memorandum of understanding and, if both of you want, made legally binding through a solicitor and the court afterwards.
How MIAMs work in Brighton
Section 10 of the Children and Families Act 2014 requires most applicants to consider mediation before making certain family court applications. In practice this means attending a MIAM before you can issue:
- a C100 application about child arrangements or other Section 8 orders, or
- a Form A application for a financial remedy after divorce or dissolution.
If mediation is unsuitable or the other person will not take part, the mediator signs the relevant court form (the MIAM certificate or a short form) confirming you attended and considered mediation. The court will not normally accept these applications without it, unless an exemption (for example domestic abuse or urgency) applies.
In Brighton, applications of this kind are dealt with by the family court serving Brighton and Hove (Brighton County Court and Family Court). Family courts in England and Wales expect a valid MIAM confirmation issued by an FMC-accredited mediator before most child arrangements and financial applications proceed.
MIAMs are attended individually — you and your former partner each meet the mediator separately, so you can speak freely about your situation. Many mediators serving Brighton also offer video MIAMs by videocall, which can be attended from home if travelling to a Brighton venue is difficult.
Using the FMC register to find a mediator
The Family Mediation Council maintains the official register of accredited family mediators in England and Wales. You can search by postcode, name or URN, and filter for mediators qualified to sign court forms, those who offer legal aid, and those offering online mediation: FMC Register Search
Legal aid and the mediation voucher scheme
Family mediation is one of the few family law services still covered by legal aid. If you are eligible, your MIAM and mediation sessions are free — see gov.uk/check-legal-aid. Eligibility is means-tested and the mediator can assess this with you.
Separately, the government's family mediation voucher scheme provides a contribution of up to £500 towards mediation costs for eligible cases involving children, whether or not you receive legal aid. An overview of mediation and the scheme is at gov.uk/guidance/family-mediation.
Verified mediator services in Brighton
Verification of individual mediator firms in Brighton could not be completed this session — several services advertise in the area, but we were unable to confirm both FMC accreditation status and a practice address for any of them to the standard we require. Rather than list unverified names, we recommend searching the FMC Register Search by your Brighton postcode, filtering for mediators "Qualified to sign court forms". That search will show currently accredited mediators practising in or near Brighton, along with their contact details and whether they offer legal aid or online mediation.
Not legal advice
YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information website. It is not a law firm or a mediation provider, is not affiliated with any mediator or organisation referenced here, and nothing on this page is legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, speak to an FMC-accredited mediator or a regulated family solicitor.