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MIAM · finding one

MIAM near me: finding a mediator who can sign

To find a MIAM near me, search the Family Mediation Council register by full postcode and tick qualified to sign court forms[1]. Only an authorised family mediator can run a MIAM and sign the court confirmation[2]. If there is no MIAM mediation near me, the FMC allows MIAMs by video[3].

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Last reviewed Sources checked

Prepare with MiamSee the sources
Distance the court expects you to look within[4]
Usual MIAM length[5]
Typical MIAM cost, each[6]
If either of you gets legal aid[7]

01/ The register

How to find a MIAM near you

The official list of mediators who can run a MIAM is the Family Mediation Council register, called Find your local mediator[1][2]. Practice Direction 3A, the court guidance on MIAMs, points applicants to the same search[4].

  1. Enter your full postcode and choose a distance: up to 5, 10, 15, 30 or 50 miles[1].
  2. Tick Qualified to sign court forms[1]. Only these mediators can sign the MIAM confirmation your court application needs[1][2].
  3. Add other filters if they matter to you: legal-aid-funded mediation, online mediation[1], or mediators qualified to see children in mediation[10].
  4. If the list is short, widen the distance[10].
  5. Contact two or three mediators and ask the questions below.

Our find a mediator page walks through the register search in more detail.

02/ How near

How near is near enough?

The court expects you to find an authorised family mediator within 15 miles of your home, or to attend a MIAM online or by video-link[4]. The register search has a 15-mile distance option for exactly this check[4].

If you cannot attend online and there is no authorised mediator with an office within 15 miles of your home, you can claim an exemption and explain why on your application[11]. A separate exemption covers the case where every mediator within that distance (or five of them, if there are five or more) says they cannot see you within 15 business days, and you cannot attend online; you give the court their names, contact details and the dates you contacted them[12].

The court checks any exemption you claim, and can send you to a MIAM if it is not valid[13]. See MIAM exemptions.

03/ Online

When online is easier

You do not have to meet a mediator in your town[3]. The FMC requires MIAMs to be held face to face, in person or by online video, and allows telephone only when there is no other option[3]. The register has a filter for mediators offering online mediation[1].

A video MIAM needs a private space where you will not be overheard or interrupted[14]. More on online MIAMs.

05/ Checking

Checking the mediator can sign

Only mediators accredited by the Family Mediation Council, shown as "FMCA", can sign a court form to say you have been to a MIAM[18]. Accredited mediators have a unique FMC registration number, which they write on the court form[19].

If you found a mediator some other way, you can look them up on the register by name[1].

06/ Booking

What to ask when you book

  • What does the MIAM cost? Prices vary by provider, so ask each mediator[20]. The typical cost is £120–£150 per person, and each of you pays for your own[6].
  • Do you offer legal aid, or can you check whether I qualify?[17]
  • Can I attend in person, or by video?[3]
  • When can you see me? The court guidance says a MIAM should be held within 15 business days of contacting the mediator[4].
  • Will you invite the other parent? You give the mediator their contact details so the mediator can invite them[21].
  • If I have safety concerns, how will you keep the meetings separate? Each of you meets the mediator on your own[22].

07/ The other parent

Where the other parent has their MIAM

The other parent is expected to attend a MIAM too, usually with the same mediator but at a separate meeting[21][22]. If they will not attend, you should still go[21], and you can still apply to court[8].

Tell the mediator when you book if contact with the other parent is not safe. The FMC's standards let a mediator decide not to invite the other person where it would not be safe[23]. See domestic abuse support.

08/ Timing

When to book

If you are going to apply to court, the MIAM counts for an application made within 4 months of it[9]. Book when you are ready to apply within that time. For what happens on the day, see what happens in a MIAM meeting; for mediation after the MIAM, see family mediation near me.

09/ By town

MIAM mediation in Cobham, Farnham, Woking or Esher

The FMC register searches by full postcode or by a mediator's name, not by town[1]. For MIAM mediation in Cobham, Farnham, Woking or Esher, enter your own postcode and pick a distance; the 15-mile option matches the distance the court expects you to look within[4].

Tick qualified to sign court forms so every result can sign your MIAM confirmation[1]. If nobody nearby suits you, a video MIAM with any authorised mediator is allowed[3]. Our Surrey family mediation page covers the county.

10/ Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do I find a MIAM near me?

Search the Family Mediation Council's Find your local mediator register by full postcode and tick "qualified to sign court forms"[1]. Only an authorised family mediator can run a MIAM and sign the court confirmation[2].

Does my MIAM have to be near me?

No. The FMC allows MIAMs in person or by online video, and by telephone only if there is no other option[3].

How far away can the mediator be?

The court expects you to find an authorised mediator within 15 miles of home, or to attend online or by video-link[4].

What if no mediator near me can see me in time?

If you cannot attend online, and every authorised mediator within 15 miles (or five of them) says they cannot see you within 15 business days, you can claim an exemption and give the court their details[12].

How do I find MIAM mediation in Cobham, Farnham, Woking or Esher?

Enter your own postcode in the FMC register, choose a distance and tick "qualified to sign court forms"; the register searches by postcode, not town[1].

Is a MIAM near me free?

It is free if either you or the other parent qualifies for legal aid[7]. Otherwise the typical cost is £120–£150 per person[6].

Can Miam book my MIAM?

No. Miam helps you prepare. Only an authorised family mediator can conduct a MIAM and sign the confirmation[2], and you book with them directly.

11/ Sources

Sources we checked

  1. Find your local mediator — Family Mediation Council
  2. FPR Part 3, r3.1 · GOV.UK — child arrangements/mediation
  3. GOV.UK — Form C100 page · FMC MIAM Standards (Aug 2022) PDF
  4. Practice Direction 3A — justice.gov.uk
  5. FMC MIAM Standards (Aug 2022) PDF
  6. GOV.UK — mediation · FMC State of Family Mediation 2025 (PDF)
  7. GOV.UK — mediation
  8. GOV.UK — mediation · FPR r3.9
  9. FPR Part 3, r3.8(1)(d)
  10. Find your local mediator — Family Mediation Council
  11. Family Procedure Rules 2010, rule 3.8 — legislation.gov.uk · Form FM1 (04.24), PDF — HMCTS
  12. Family Procedure Rules 2010, rule 3.8 — legislation.gov.uk
  13. FPR Part 3, r3.10
  14. Good Practice Guidance for MIAMs, July 2024 — Family Mediation Council
  15. Check if you can get legal aid — GOV.UK
  16. Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator — GOV.UK
  17. Good Practice Guidance for MIAMs, July 2024 — Family Mediation Council
  18. What is a MIAM? — Family Mediation Council
  19. Form FM1 (04.24), notes — HMCTS
  20. Form C100 (06.26), guidance page — HMCTS
  21. Practice Direction 3A — justice.gov.uk
  22. FMC MIAM Standards (Aug 2022) PDF
  23. Standards for MIAMs (August 2022) — Family Mediation Council

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13/ Safety first