Mel Hall

Dr Mel Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Education Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of Education, where she teaches research methods and leads the BA (Hons) Early Years and Childhood Studies program. Her research focuses on children, families, and health, with a particular emphasis on marginalized voices such as children with parents experiencing dementia or young people navigating complex family dynamics. She has held roles at the National Foundation for Educational Research and the University of Sheffield, where her doctoral work explored children’s experiences of cleft lip/palate treatments. Key projects include the Alzheimer’s Society-funded study on youth experiences of parental dementia and the ESRC-funded shared reading initiative. Awards include the 2019 Personal Tutor of the Year (MMU Student Union) and Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. She supervises doctoral students and leads the GM Reflect program, a regional training initiative for early years professionals. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates sociology, education studies, and qualitative methodologies, with recent work addressing pandemic impacts on literacy practices and rural age-friendly communities.

Education:

• PhD in Education Studies (University of Sheffield, 2006–2010)
• MSc in Health Studies (University of Sheffield, 2005)
• BSc (Hons) Psychology (University of Manchester, 2003)

Research Interests:

• Child and youth agency in health and education
• Family dynamics in dementia caregiving
• Shared reading practices and family literacy
• Qualitative and participatory research methods
• Social policy implications for vulnerable families

Grants & Collaborations:

• Alzheimer’s Society: ‘Perceptions of Children/Young People with Parental Dementia’ (2015–2018)
• ESRC: ‘Shared Reading with Preschool Children’ (2017–2020)
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority: GM Reflect Program (2020–present)

Labs/Teams:

• Co-director of the Manchester Childhood Research Group
• Member of the School of Education’s Health and Social Care Research Cluster