Melanie Parris is a senior lecturer in social work at Buckinghamshire New University, she joined the university in 2001 and currently teaches on the Msc and Bsc social work programmes and also on the Step-Up to Social Work programme. 

Melanie began her career in social work in the late 1970's and has  worked in a variety of settings including with D/deaf people of all ages, disabled children and adults and older people.

Melanie is interested in social work theory and practice, service user and carer perspectives, D/deafness and hearing impairment ,social inclusion and also collaborative and inclusive approaches to learning and teaching. Melanie is the author of An Introduction to Social Work Practice, 2012, Open University Press and also: Sensory Impairments in Greenfields et al (2012) Working with Adults at Risk from Harm pp 49-54.

She is currently leading a research project with a colleague Dr Ray Batchelor looking at the possible benefits of dancing the Argentinian Tango for D/deaf people.