Conversations About the Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting
As part of Family Mediation Week and to raise awareness of the benefits of mediation, I will be offering free initial mediation assessment meetings (MIAM) from 20th-24th January 2020. To take advantage of this please quote ‘#familymediationweek’ when making an appointment. To make an appointment please contact me on s.manning@consilialegal.co.uk or contact me on 0113 58874671 or pass my details on to your clients.
Making the decision to attend family mediation is not easy for anyone. There is a lot of information that needs to be retained prior to attending any appointments. At the start of the mediation process, the first question commonly asked is what is a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM)?
MIAM is the first appointment for each individual attending mediation. The purpose of this meeting is to meet the mediator, find out about the process of mediation and other methods of resolving disputes, discuss your issues with the mediator and the mediator can assess whether family mediation is a suitable process to help you and the other party resolve your issues.
The mediator will usually see each party separately and if mediation was to proceed then we would set up a joint session.
During the meeting the mediator will explain/explore the following to you: –
- The process of mediation;
- Consider whether any signposting is necessary i.e. counselling etc.;
- Consider if there are any domestic violence concerns;
- Discuss whether there are any ongoing court proceedings;
- Consider if any safeguarding measures can be undertaken i.e. shuttle mediation, separate waiting areas etc.;
- Explain the costs of mediation;
- Consider if the parties are willing to attend mediation;
- Consider whether the process of mediation would be suitable.
If you do not think mediation is the route you wish to pursue and court would be a better option, it is a requirement (save for limited exceptions) that you must attend a MIAM appointment prior to issuing proceedings albeit financial remedy proceedings or children act proceedings.
For more information about the process of mediation and our costs please contact us on the details provided above.