What is the difference between MIAM and mediation?

The simplest way to think about it is this:

A MIAM is for you. Mediation is for both you and your former partner.

A MIAM is usually the first step if you are considering family mediation. It is a private, one-to-one meeting between you and a qualified family mediator.

The purpose of the meeting is to give you the opportunity to explain your circumstances, ask any questions you may have, and learn about the different options available to help resolve matters following separation. It is also an opportunity for the mediator to assess whether mediation is suitable for your situation.

Everything you discuss during your MIAM is confidential and will not be shared with your former partner unless there is a safeguarding concern.

If, after your individual MIAMs, both you and your former partner decide that mediation is the right option, you will then move on to mediation sessions.

Unlike a MIAM, mediation involves both of you meeting with the mediator to discuss the issues you need to resolve, whether these relate to your children, finances, or both.

This is where the process becomes open and transparent. The mediator is impartial and does not take sides. Instead, they help guide conversations, keep communication constructive, and support you both in working towards agreements that are workable.

During mediation, neither person can share confidential information with the mediator that is kept from the other. Mediation relies on honesty and openness, and it is this transparency that helps build trust in the process and gives both people the opportunity to make informed decisions.

The aim of mediation is not to decide who is right or wrong. It is to help you have productive conversations, explore different options, and reach agreements that work for your family's future - without the time, cost and stress of going to court wherever possible.

So, in short:

MIAM is your individual, confidential meeting to understand your options and decide whether mediation is right for you.

Mediation is the joint process where you and your former partner work together, with the support of an impartial mediator, to reach agreements about the future.