Family Mediation
Family mediation online, or in person in South West London.
Settle finances, property and arrangements for your children without going to court. Your first meeting is private and one-to-one.
- First meeting £125
- Private & one-to-one
- Online or in person in South West London
Where are you right now?
“My solicitor told me I need a MIAM.”
Book your first meeting online in a few minutes and pay securely.
Book your first meeting (MIAM)“I’d like to understand my options first.”
Not sure what mediation involves? Send us your enquiry. There’s no obligation.
Make an enquiryYour first meeting is just you.
Your first meeting is called a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting). It’s a private, one-to-one conversation with your mediator. The other party won’t be there. We talk about your situation, your options and whether mediation is right for you.
In most cases, you need a MIAM before applying to the family court about children or finances.
What can mediation help with?
Whatever you need to agree, we work through it together, calmly and one step at a time.
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Child arrangements
Where the children live, time with each parent, holidays and school.
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Finances and pensions
Savings, debts, pensions and maintenance, shared out fairly.
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Property and the family home
Whether to sell, keep or transfer the home, and how to divide it.
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MIAM before court
The first meeting you usually need before applying to the family court.
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Co-parenting plans
How you’ll talk, decide and parent well from two homes.
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Grandparents and wider family
Keeping children close to the people who love them.
Why choose mediation?
A calmer, fairer way to agree what happens next.
You stay in control
You know your family best. You make the decisions together, instead of a judge making them for you.
Less stress, better for children
Talking things through calmly lowers conflict, which makes life easier for your children now and later.
Costs far less
Fixed, published fees instead of hourly legal bills and court costs that keep adding up.
Quicker than court
Most families settle things in a few sessions over weeks, not months of waiting for a hearing.
families who try mediation reach agreement away from court.
Ministry of Justice, Family Mediation Voucher Schemeis the average wait for a court decision about children.
Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics, April to June 2026Four simple steps, at your pace.
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Your first meeting
A private one-to-one meeting (MIAM), online or in person.
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Their first meeting
The other person has their own separate meeting.
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Joint sessions
If you both want to go ahead, we work through finances, property and the children together, online or in South West London.
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Your agreement in writing
You make the decisions. We write up what you agree, and it can be made legally binding if you both want it to be.
Meet Carrie Matthews, our founder.
Carrie founded CM Family Mediation because she knows how overwhelming separation can feel. There are big decisions about your children, your home and your money, often at a time when talking to each other feels hard.
Our role is to help you find a fair solution for you and your partner. We don’t take sides. We make sure you’re both heard and that the focus stays on what matters most: your children’s wellbeing and a future you can both live with. You stay in control of every decision, and we move at a pace that feels right for you.
Kind words from families.
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“I was dreading it. Carrie made it feel calm and manageable.”
Sarah · Wimbledon -
“We sorted the house and the kids’ schedule in three sessions.”
James · Putney -
“Knowing the first meeting was just me made all the difference.”
Priya · Clapham -
“Clear, fair, and far less stressful than going to court.”
Mark · Richmond -
“She kept us focused on the children, not the arguments.”
Emma · Kingston -
“Booked online the same day. Zoom from home was so easy.”
Daniel · Manchester -
“For the first time in months, I felt properly heard.”
Aisha · Wandsworth
Mediation, solicitors or court. Side by side.
Mediation is usually the best place to start. If it doesn’t work out, you can still go to court, and in most cases you’ll need a MIAM first anyway.
Mediation
Solicitors
Court
Who decides
Typical cost
How long it takes
Privacy
For your family
Outcome
1 Ministry of Justice, Family Mediation Voucher Scheme: more than two-thirds of families reached whole or partial agreement away from court. 2 Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics Quarterly, April to June 2026 (Children Act private law cases, mean time to disposal).
Clear fees, published here.
Fixed prices, no hourly billing and no hidden extras.
First meeting (MIAM)
- Private one-to-one meeting, online or in person
- A clear explanation of all your options
- Confidential safety and suitability check
- MIAM certificate for court included, at no extra cost
- Written next-steps summary by email
- No obligation to continue
Joint mediation sessions
- Online by Zoom (in person: £250 per person)
- Preparation and planning between sessions
- Help organising your financial information
- Online shuttle mediation if you’d rather not be on the same call
- Written summary after each session
Pay securely online when you book.
Our fees broken down.
Every price is per person, so you each pay your own share.
Meetings and sessions
- First meeting (MIAM)Online or in person, certificate included
- £125
- Joint session, onlineBy Zoom, including online shuttle mediation
- £200
- Joint session, in personSouth West London
- £250
Your written agreement
Called a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). It is charged separately from your sessions.
- Child arrangements
- £125
- Finances / property
- £200
- All issuesChildren and finances together
- £225
Straight answers.
What is a MIAM and do I need one before court?
A MIAM is a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. It is a private first meeting between you and your mediator; the other party will not be present. In your MIAM you will be given information about mediation and discuss whether it is something you would like to pursue and whether it would be suitable for you. In most cases you need to have attended a MIAM before applying to the family court about children or finances.
Does my MIAM certificate cost extra?
No. Your certificate of attendance, which is usually needed to make an application to the court, is included in the cost of your MIAM.
Is what we agree legally binding?
Not automatically, but if both parties agree it can be made legally binding. We write up what is agreed, and this agreement (a “Memorandum of Understanding”) can be turned into a legally binding consent order by a judge.
Can we do this online?
Yes. Meetings can take place online by Zoom, or in person in South West London. Your Zoom link is sent automatically when you book.
How much does it cost?
Your first meeting (MIAM) is £125. Joint sessions are £200 per person online, or £250 per person in person. Your written agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) is charged separately. See the full breakdown above. You pay securely online when you book.
Book your first meeting, or make an enquiry.
Take the first step privately, at your own pace.