{"id":380,"date":"2018-10-11T13:28:43","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T13:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/?page_id=380"},"modified":"2025-10-13T10:49:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T10:49:17","slug":"mediation-information-and-assessment-meeting-miam","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/mediation-information-and-assessment-meeting-miam","title":{"rendered":"Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#x1f9ed; <strong>What is a MIAM?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A <strong>MIAM<\/strong> is your first step in exploring whether family mediation is right for you. It\u2019s a confidential, one-to-one meeting with a qualified family mediator, lasting around <strong>45 to 60 minutes<\/strong>. You may bring a friend or family member for support, though they won\u2019t take part in the discussion. The other party will be invited to attend a separate MIAM.<\/p>\n<p>Legal Requirement<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re planning to apply to the Family Court for orders relating to children or finances, you are <strong>legally required<\/strong> to attend a MIAM first, unless an exemption applies (e.g. domestic abuse, child protection concerns, or urgency).<\/p>\n<p>Even if court isn\u2019t your goal, a MIAM is a valuable opportunity to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Understand your options<\/li>\n<li>Learn about mediation and other ways to resolve disputes<\/li>\n<li>Decide whether mediation is safe and suitable for your situation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#x1f5e3;&#xfe0f; <strong>What Happens at a MIAM?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During your MIAM, the mediator will:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Listen to your concerns and gather background information<\/li>\n<li>Explain how mediation works and what it can help resolve<\/li>\n<li>Explore other dispute resolution options (e.g. arbitration, collaborative law)<\/li>\n<li>Conduct a safety and suitability assessment<\/li>\n<li>Answer your questions and help you decide your next steps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If mediation is appropriate and both parties agree to proceed, a joint session will be arranged. If not, the mediator will issue a <strong>MIAM certificate<\/strong> confirming your attendance, which you can use to apply to court.<\/p>\n<p>&#x1f91d; <strong>Joint Mediation Sessions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Joint sessions typically last <strong>90 minutes<\/strong>. Most families reach agreement within <strong>2 to 3 sessions<\/strong>, depending on the complexity of the issues.<\/p>\n<p>Your mediator will:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Facilitate respectful dialogue and ensure both voices are heard<\/li>\n<li>Help identify key issues and explore practical solutions<\/li>\n<li>Support constructive exchange of information and ideas<\/li>\n<li>Provide legal and procedural information (but not advice)<\/li>\n<li>Encourage informed, child-focused decision-making<\/li>\n<li>Signpost to independent legal or financial advice if needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once agreement is reached, the mediator will draft a written summary (e.g. a Parenting Plan or Memorandum of Understanding).<\/p>\n<p>&#x1f476; <strong>Child Inclusive Mediation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Children often feel left out of decisions that affect them. <strong>Child Inclusive Mediation (CIM)<\/strong> allows children (typically aged <strong>10 and above<\/strong>) to speak directly with a specially trained <strong>Child Consultant Mediator<\/strong>, in a safe and confidential space.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The child meets the mediator separately from both parents<\/li>\n<li>Sessions last around <strong>45 minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The child shares their views and experiences, which may help shape future arrangements<\/li>\n<li>Parents remain responsible for decision-making, and children are never asked to choose sides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>CIM is voluntary and only takes place with the child\u2019s consent and both parents\u2019 agreement.<\/p>\n<p>&#x1f4de;<strong> Ready to Take the First Step?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re considering mediation or need a MIAM certificate to proceed with a court application, we&#8217;re here to help. Contact Community Accord today to book your MIAM or learn more about our family mediation services.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#x1f9ed; What is a MIAM? A MIAM is your first step in exploring whether family mediation is right for you. It\u2019s a confidential, one-to-one meeting with a qualified family mediator, lasting around 45 to 60 minutes. You may bring a friend or family member for support, though they won\u2019t take part in the discussion. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-380","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=380"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":648,"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/380\/revisions\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.communityaccord.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}