Family mediator training and accreditation (FMCA)
Key facts
- FMCA means Family Mediation Council Accredited, the recognised professional standard for family mediators in England and Wales.
- Mediators start with an approved foundation training course, then build a portfolio of supervised casework to reach full accreditation.
- Only an FMCA mediator can carry out a MIAM and sign the court forms that confirm you have considered mediation.
- Accreditation is renewed every three years and depends on continuing professional development, supervision and a Professional Practice Consultant.
- You can check any mediator’s status free of charge on the public Family Mediation Council register.
If you are looking for a family mediator, the letters FMCA are the ones that matter. FMCA stands for Family Mediation Council Accredited. It is the professional standard for family mediators in England and Wales, and it tells you that the person has trained, been assessed and continues to work to a national code of practice.
This page explains how family mediators train, what the FMCA portfolio route involves, how to check a mediator on the public register, and why accreditation matters when you need someone to sign a court form. For the wider picture, see our guide to family mediation.
What does FMCA mean?
FMCA is short for Family Mediation Council Accredited. The Family Mediation Council (FMC) is the body that sets standards for family mediation across England and Wales. It does not employ mediators itself. Instead it approves training, holds a public register, and sets the Code of Practice that every registered mediator must follow.
An accredited mediator has passed the FMC assessment and can use the letters FMCA after their name. A mediator who is still training is described as working towards accreditation, and works under the supervision of an experienced colleague until they qualify. Both are real mediators, but only an FMCA mediator can do certain formal tasks, which we cover below. You can read a plain-English definition in our glossary entry for FMCA.
How do family mediators train?
Everyone starts in the same place. To become a family mediator you must complete an FMC-approved foundation training course. These courses cover the mediation process, the law that applies to separating families, how to screen for domestic abuse and safeguarding concerns, and the ethics of staying impartial.
Foundation training on its own does not make someone accredited. It is the entry point. After the course, the mediator registers with the FMC as working towards accreditation and begins taking real cases under close supervision. This is where the portfolio route begins.
The FMCA portfolio route
Accreditation is earned by evidence, not by sitting a single exam. The mediator builds a portfolio that shows they can run cases competently and safely across a range of situations. They usually have three years from finishing foundation training to complete and submit it.
| Stage | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Foundation training | An FMC-approved course covering process, law, screening and ethics |
| Working towards accreditation | Taking real cases under the guidance of a Professional Practice Consultant |
| Building the portfolio | Written evidence of casework, reflection and safeguarding practice |
| Assessment | The portfolio is assessed against national competencies |
| FMCA awarded | The mediator can use FMCA and carry out the formal tasks below |
Throughout this period the mediator works under a Professional Practice Consultant, usually shortened to PPC. The PPC is a senior, experienced mediator who supervises their casework, checks their decisions and supports them if a case becomes difficult. Working under a PPC is not optional. A mediator who practises without one can lose their accredited status.
How to check a mediator on the FMC register
You do not have to take a mediator’s word for their accreditation. The Family Mediation Council keeps a free public register of every registered mediator. You can search it to confirm that a person is registered, see whether they are accredited (FMCA) or still working towards it, and find their unique reference number.
Checking the register is a sensible first step, especially if you found a mediator online. If you will need someone to sign a court form later, it is worth making sure they are FMCA before you book. A MIAM carried out by a mediator who is not accredited will not produce a valid certificate for court.
Quick check
Search the mediator’s name on the Family Mediation Council website. If they appear as FMC Accredited (FMCA), they can carry out a MIAM and sign your C100 or Form A. If they are working towards accreditation, ask who will sign your forms.
Keeping accreditation: CPD, supervision and PPC
Accreditation is not a badge you keep for life. FMCA mediators renew every three years. To do so they must show that they have kept their skills current through continuing professional development (CPD), attended regular supervision, and stayed under the support of a PPC. They also have to keep up to date with safeguarding and the law.
This ongoing requirement is one reason accreditation is a useful signal. It means the mediator is not working alone or relying on training they did years ago. They are part of a supervised professional community that reviews its own practice. To understand what the role involves day to day, see our guide to what a family mediator does.
Supervision deserves a word of its own. Even after years in practice, accredited mediators bring their cases to a supervisor or PPC to talk through difficult moments, check their own impartiality and make sure safeguarding has been handled well. This is normal professional practice, not a sign that anything has gone wrong, and it is a large part of what keeps standards consistent across the profession.
Only a mediator who is FMC accredited (FMCA) can carry out a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) and sign the court forms, the C100 for child arrangements and the Form A for finances, that confirm you have attended or are exempt. The MIAM requirement itself comes from section 10 of the Children and Families Act 2014. FMCA mediators are also the only family mediators recognised by the Legal Aid Agency to provide legally aided mediation, so accreditation matters if you may qualify for legal aid for mediation.
FMCA or working towards accreditation: what is the difference?
Both an accredited mediator and one who is working towards accreditation are real, trained mediators who can help you reach an agreement. The difference matters most when a formal task needs doing, such as carrying out a MIAM or signing a court form. The table below sets out what each can do.
| Working towards accreditation | FMCA (accredited) | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs mediation sessions | Yes, under supervision | Yes |
| Carries out a MIAM and signs court forms | No | Yes |
| Provides legally aided mediation | No | Yes |
| Supervised by a PPC | Yes, closely | Yes, ongoing |
| Uses the letters FMCA | No | Yes |
If your case may end up at court, or you think you might qualify for legal aid, it is sensible to work with an FMCA mediator from the start, or to check who will sign your paperwork. A MIAM run by someone who is not accredited will not produce a certificate the court accepts.
What a PPC and regular supervision add
Every family mediator, however experienced, works with a Professional Practice Consultant. The PPC is a senior mediator who reviews casework, talks through difficult moments and checks that safeguarding and impartiality have been handled well. For a mediator building their portfolio, the PPC signs off their progress. For an accredited mediator, the PPC is a continuing source of professional challenge and support.
Alongside supervision, accredited mediators complete continuing professional development (CPD) each year and refresh their training on domestic abuse screening and the law. This is why accreditation is a useful signal to you as a client. It means the mediator is part of a supervised professional community that reviews its own work, rather than someone relying on a course they took years ago.
How accreditation protects you as a client
Accreditation is not only a professional milestone, it is a form of protection for the people who use mediation. An FMCA mediator has been assessed against national competencies, follows the FMC Code of Practice, carries professional indemnity insurance, and is subject to a complaints procedure if something goes wrong. If you ever have a concern about how your mediation was handled, there is a clear route to raise it.
The Code of Practice also sets firm rules on impartiality, confidentiality and safeguarding. A mediator who breached them could face a complaint and, in a serious case, lose their registration. That accountability is part of what the FMCA letters stand for, and part of why the courts and the Legal Aid Agency rely on them.
Family mediators and other kinds of mediator
Not every mediator is a family mediator. Civil and commercial mediators help settle business, workplace and neighbour disputes, and they train and accredit through different bodies. Their skills overlap, but only an FMC-accredited family mediator can carry out a MIAM and sign the family court forms. This is worth knowing if you find a mediator online, because the word mediator on its own does not tell you whether they work in family cases.
The difference also explains the hybrid mediation model, which borrows techniques from civil mediation for complex family finances. Even there, the person leading a family case will normally hold family accreditation. If you are unsure, the FMC register tells you exactly what a mediator is qualified to do.
Accreditation, legal aid and the voucher scheme
Accreditation decides who can help you access public funding. Only FMCA mediators hold Legal Aid Agency contracts, so if you or your ex-partner might qualify for legal aid for mediation, the mediator must be accredited. The government’s Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, worth up to £500 in cases involving children, is also paid to an accredited mediator, not claimed by you. You can read how that works on our family mediation voucher scheme page or check your position with the voucher eligibility checker.
In short, accreditation is the thread that ties together the register, the Code of Practice, court forms and public funding. A two-minute check on the Family Mediation Council register at the start tells you whether the mediator in front of you can do all of these things, which is time well spent before you commit to any provider.
Dan found a mediator through a web search and paid for what he was told was a MIAM. When he later tried to make his court application, the court would not accept the certificate because the person was not FMC accredited. He had to start again with an FMCA mediator and pay a second time. A two-minute check on the Family Mediation Council register at the outset would have saved him the cost and the delay.
Frequently asked questions
What does FMCA stand for?
FMCA stands for Family Mediation Council Accredited. It is the professional standard for family mediators in England and Wales, awarded once a mediator has passed the FMC portfolio assessment.
How long does it take to become an accredited family mediator?
There is no fixed time, but mediators usually have three years from completing their foundation training to submit their accreditation portfolio. Many take one to three years to build enough casework.
Can a trainee mediator run my mediation?
Yes. A mediator working towards accreditation can run cases, but they do so under the supervision of a Professional Practice Consultant. If you need a MIAM certificate or court form signed, check that an FMCA mediator will sign it.
How do I check if a mediator is accredited?
Search the free public register on the Family Mediation Council website. It shows whether a mediator is FMC accredited (FMCA) or still working towards accreditation, along with their reference number.
Why does accreditation matter for court?
Only an FMCA mediator can carry out a valid MIAM and sign the C100 or Form A. A certificate from a mediator who is not accredited will not be accepted by the family court.
What is a PPC in family mediation?
A PPC is a Professional Practice Consultant, a senior mediator who supervises another mediator’s casework. Every family mediator works with one. The PPC reviews difficult cases, checks safeguarding and impartiality, and signs off a trainee’s progress towards accreditation.
Is family mediation the same as civil or workplace mediation?
No. Civil, commercial and workplace mediators settle business and neighbour disputes and accredit through different bodies. Only an FMC-accredited family mediator can carry out a MIAM and sign the family court forms, so check a mediator works in family cases.
Do I need an accredited mediator to use the £500 voucher?
Yes. The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is paid to an FMC-accredited mediator, and only accredited mediators hold legal aid contracts. If you may qualify for funding, make sure your mediator is FMCA before you book.
Sources
- Family Mediation Council, FMC accreditation scheme and FAQs, familymediationcouncil.org.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Family Mediation Council, Find a local mediator (register), familymediationcouncil.org.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- Children and Families Act 2014, section 10, legislation.gov.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- GOV.UK, Family mediation, gov.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.