Melernie is an experienced Psychologist who has worked in a number of roles within Local Authority, including as Senior Educational Psychologist and Interim Principal Educational Psychologist. Her roles have focused on supporting the social, emotional and mental health of students, and working as a Local Authority psychologist within pupil referral units, supporting children to reintegrate back into mainstream education and supporting understandings of adults who work with them.

Melernie’s professional interests include Social Justice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion, Social, Emotional and Mental Health of children and supporting children who have been excluded or are at risk of permanent school exclusion. She is committed to improving life chances for all children and young people she works with.

Melernie is currently co-chair of the Division of Child and Educational Psychology (DECP), Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group. She is joint Year Co-ordinator on the Professional Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology DEdPsy training at the University College London (UCL), Institute of Education on the DEdPsy; she supervises academic research and teaches a range of topics including EDI and Therapeutic Play. She is also chair of trustees for a charity offering play experiences and therapeutic intervention to disadvantaged children who have experienced trauma.