Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the mediation process?
People often ask ‘what is the mediation process?’ Below is an outline of the typical mediation process.
At the start of the mediation process, and before any joint meetings with your ex, a qualified family mediator will meet with you both individually to find out more about the issues that need to be resolved.
This first meeting is called a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM), or a ‘first meeting’. If you have already applied to court to try and resolve your disputes, then you may have been told you need to attend a MIAM first.
In this initial meeting, the mediator will give you more information about mediation and will be able to answer any questions or concerns you have about what happens next and can also signpost you to other help and support services if you need them.
Family Mediation then typically involves attending a series of face-to-face meetings together, either online or in person. The number of meetings you need will depend on the type of, and complexity, of the issues you need to agree on.
These discussions are facilitated by a professional, trained mediator who will help you identify the issues you need to agree and help you to find fair and workable agreements to these issues.
When agreement is reached the mediator will provide a written summary known as a Memorandum of Understanding, so that both of you are clear about what has been decided. These agreements can then be made legally binding if you both agree. In financial cases an Open Financial Statement can be produced, which again, shows the agreement you have made between you.
Using Family Mediation to agree parenting, financial or property disputes following your divorce helps to avoid costly and lengthy court battles. Family Mediation helps you to reach agreement and find fair and practical solutions to the issues that you need to resolve now you have separated.
In the future, if your situation changes, and the arrangements you made are no longer working, then you can return to family mediation and agree to change the Memorandum of Understanding.
