What should I do before I come to mediation?

Helpful information before you come to mediation.

Mediation works best when you have done some thinking about what you would like to talk about and what the potential options might be.

You have both been to a mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM) and have decided to use mediation to try to reach agreement about your finances, your children or both.

You will have talked to the mediator about the best way for your mediation to take place and agreed if it will be a joint mediation or a shuttle mediation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is joint mediation?

This is when both people are on the same room or online call as the mediator. You will be able to see and hear the other person in your case.

What is shuttle mediation?

This is when both people are in different room either online meetings or in person and the mediator will move between you. You will not be in the same online meeting as the other person at any point.

How do I prepare for mediation about my children?

Mediation provides the opportunity for parents to talk about and agree the arrangements for their children. You can find out what courts expect parents to do before they go to court What the court expects from parents.

To help you think about what you would like to talk about in the mediation about your children, you could look at the Cafcass Parenting Plan booklet pages 20 – 26. You can find this here.

You could also have a look at Family Justice Young People’s Board top tips for separated parents. This is written by children who have been through the court process.

How do I prepare for mediation about finances?

Mediation provides the opportunity for you and the other person to discuss and agree financial issues.

After your initial individual meeting you will be sent the Family Matters financial pack. This is the financial information you will need to support and inform your decisions in mediation. The court will expect that these decisions are affordable and supported by documentary evidence.

You can find answers to questions about financial information here.

What should I expect?

It is important that everyone understands and agrees to what is expected in the meeting. To help with this, we ask you to look at and agree our online terms and conditions. These set out what you can expect of Family Matters and what we expect of you. You can find them here.

What will it cost?

You can find clear pricing information on our Family Matters fees page

We have put together a list of useful websites to help you to find support, help and information. Ask your mediator if you are experiencing a particular difficulty and they may be able to identify a specialist service.