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Get Your MIAM Before You Apply to Court With a C100

Before you can file a C100 to the family court about your children, the law says you must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), unless an exemption applies. We hold MIAMs by video with FMC-registered mediators and provide the confirmation your application needs.

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  • Standard MIAM — £130 per person, certificate included

  • Urgent MIAM — £160 per person, held within 24 hours of your payment

  • No VAT on any of our fees​​

Book your MIAM - use our 1-minute 'Do I Need a MIAM?' questionnaire to find out if you need an initial mediation meeting.

Not sure if you need one? Call 0330 043 6360 for a free 10-minute consultation

Why you need a MIAM before a C100

Since 2014, anyone applying to the family court for a child arrangements, specific issue or prohibited steps order has had to attend a MIAM first (Children and Families Act 2014, section 10). The court will not usually process your C100 without it.
 

A MIAM is a one-to-one meeting with a qualified family mediator. They explain how mediation works, talk through your situation, and help you decide whether mediation could settle things without a court hearing. It is not a commitment to mediate.

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Three things parents often don't realise:

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  • You can still apply if your ex-partner doesn't attend. Only you need to go to your MIAM. If they refuse or ignore the invitation, you can still file your C100.

  • The confirmation lasts four months. You need to apply to court within four months of your MIAM, so book it when you're ready to move.

  • It is a meeting about you and your situation, not a test. There's nothing to pass.

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How it works with Ark Mediation

1. Book online

Complete our short MIAM questionnaire and choose standard or urgent. It takes a few minutes.

2. Attend your MIAM by video

A 60-minute meeting with an FMC-registered mediator, from home.

3. Get your confirmation for the court

If mediation isn't suitable or you decide to go to court, your mediator completes and signs the MIAM section of your C100 and sends it to you by email or secure link.

What is a C100 form?

The C100 is the application you use to ask the family court in England and Wales to decide something about your child's upbringing. You can use it to apply for:

  • A child arrangements order — where your child lives and when they spend time with each parent

  • A specific issue order — one particular question, such as which school your child attends

  • A prohibited steps order — stopping a parent from taking a particular step, such as taking your child out of the country

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If you and the other parent have already agreed arrangements and want them made legally binding, you apply for a consent order instead, and you don't need a MIAM for that.

How to apply with a C100

Online (recommended by the court)

You can apply through the government's online service. You can save your application and come back to it, and you have 28 days to finish it once you start.

By post

Fill in the paper C100 and send the original plus three copies to the family court nearest where your child lives.

The court fee

The court charges £270 to apply (GOV.UK, October 2026). You may be able to get help with court fees if you are on benefits or a low income. This fee is paid to the court, not to us.

How long it takes

GOV.UK says a court order usually takes around 10 months, depending on where you live and your circumstances. Mediation is often quicker, and agreements reached in mediation can be made legally binding through a consent order.

When you don't need a MIAM

You won't usually need a MIAM if:

  • you've attended a MIAM, or tried another way of agreeing without court, in the last four months

  • you have evidence that you are a victim of domestic abuse

  • you're applying for a consent order

  • your children are at risk of harm, for example social services are involved

  • you can't attend a MIAM because of your location, your situation or mediator availability

  • you're applying for a hearing without the other person being told

  • the application is urgent, for example you or your child are in danger

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You claim an exemption on the C100 itself, and you may need evidence. If you're unsure whether one applies to you, call us for a free 10-minute consultation before you book.

Could mediation avoid court altogether?

Many parents who come to us for a MIAM go on to settle arrangements in mediation instead. If your case is about children, the government's Family Mediation Voucher Scheme can contribute up to £500 towards the cost. Find out about the voucher scheme.

C100 MIAM questions

How quickly can I get a MIAM?

Our Urgent MIAM is held within 24 hours of your payment, for £160. A standard MIAM is £130. Both include your MIAM confirmation for the court.

How long is my MIAM confirmation valid?

Four months from the date of your MIAM. If you haven't applied to court by then, you'll need a new MIAM.

Does my ex-partner have to attend?

No. You attend your own MIAM. We may invite the other parent to theirs, but if they don't attend, you can still apply to court.

Can you fill in my C100 for me?

We offer a support session of up to one hour to help you complete it, for £100 per case. It's practical help, not legal advice.

Is the MIAM done online?

Yes, all our MIAMs are by video. If you need to meet in person, contact us for a quote.

Do I need a MIAM if we've already agreed arrangements?

No. If you're applying for a consent order to make an agreement binding, a MIAM isn't required.

Ready to apply? Book your MIAM today FMC-registered mediators, by video, from £130. Urgent appointments within 24 hours of payment.

Not sure if you need one? Call 0330 043 6360 for a free 10-minute consultation

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