The FMC has now endorsed the suite of documents governing mediators’ conduct of Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings (MIAMs) and we are today publishing them to all family mediators. They have been developed on behalf of the mediation profession by the FMSB through its MIAMs Working Group. The process of drafting and refinement has been led by family mediators and included an extensive consultation with the family mediation community.
The documents codify core principles and best practice that are generally agreed throughout the profession into a rigorous and consistent format that is a model for the FMSB’s continuing development of professional standards. We recognise that mediators will need time to absorb the contents and consider any implications there may be for their own practice, so there will be a transitional period of two months before the Standards become formally effective on 1 October. During this period the FMSB will put on webinars with members of the Working Group for mediators to seek clarification, raise questions and make comments, which will be arranged to follow the summer holidays.
The documents can be found here:
The publication of these documents is a significant milestone and the culmination of over two years of hard work and thoughtful consideration by the Working Group. I am most grateful to the Chair of the Group, Alexis Walker for her leadership of the process; to all its members Lorraine Bramwell, Adrienne Cox, John Hobson, Dickie James, Paul Kemp, Angela Lake-Carroll, Judy Park and Elaine Richardson for all their many contributions; and to our Executive, Helen Anthony, for her highly valued support throughout.
I warmly commend these documents to you all.
Robert Creighton
Chair, FMSB
