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Frequently asked questions
Some of the questions people ask us most often.
How do I get started?
For matters relating to relationship breakdown, such as separation, divorce, parenting and financial claims, you can fill in our online MIAM form, or call us on +44 1473 487427, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. We aim to get back to you within two working days. We won’t contact the other person until we have spoken with you.
For problems and disputes involving an older relative, adult family members, pets, or a business, please contact us and we’ll tell you how to get started.
If you’re looking into mediation for someone else, such as a friend or relative, they’re welcome to contact us themselves, or you can call us to find out more.
What happens at a MIAM?
A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) is a private, confidential 60-minute meeting with one of our accredited family mediators, on your own. It can take place at our meeting rooms in Ipswich or online by Zoom.
Before the meeting, you complete our online information form, so that the meeting can focus on you and your options.
At the meeting, the mediator discusses with you what has happened and explains how problems like yours can be addressed. They explain how mediation works, and how other processes work, such as court and arbitration. You can ask any questions you have.
If we go on to meet the other person separately, we decide afterwards whether mediation would be a suitable way forward. If it is, we write to you both to invite you to mediate. If it isn’t, or either of you decides not to go ahead, we can provide a MIAM certificate if you need to apply to court.
Are MIAMs confidential?
Yes. What you tell us at your Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), and on your information form, is not shown to or shared with the other person. We won’t contact the other person until we have spoken with you. If we decide that mediation isn’t suitable, we’re not able to disclose our reasons.
As mediators, we keep what you tell us at your MIAM confidential. We don’t disclose it to anyone, apart from our professional practice consultants, who oversee our work, and anyone dealing with a complaint. They are bound by the same confidentiality, as our Privacy Policy explains.
The only exceptions are if we believe someone or something is at risk of harm, or where the law requires us to disclose information.
Can mediation take place online?
Yes. We have mediated online since 2012, and Stephen Anderson was the first family mediator in the UK to offer online mediation routinely. Online meetings take place by Zoom, with everyone on screen together.
Online mediation can suit people who live in different parts of the country or abroad, who find it hard to travel, or who need to fit meetings around caring for children or their working hours. We decide with you whether meetings take place in person at our meeting rooms in Ipswich, or online.
For mediation, you need a laptop, desktop computer or tablet with a camera, propped up rather than handheld. A phone is fine for a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). Our guide to mediating online explains how to prepare.