As director for the Blackpool Centre for Early Child Development, Merle led a multiagency, place-based approach to early child development. A £45million, ten-year strategic investment by the National Lottery, it developed and tested new approaches to improve early child health and development by supporting those at risk in a socioeconomically deprived area, through reducing critical pressures, building capabilities, and delivering a range of innovative and evidence-based interventions to break the intergenerational cycle of poor outcomes, through reframing and driving systemic change across all services for 0–4 year olds, and empowering communities to support and codesign this change.

As director, Merle led on a range of key developments including transforming the health visiting service to deliver a minimum of eight parent-led contacts, and an evidence-based antenatal programme. Merle also led on the work to become the only Harvard Frontier of Innovation in the country with the development of the community connector role. Under her direction, the Centre produced the NHS england guidance on trauma-informed approaches for maternity and perinatal mental health services, as well as locally embedding the brain science of ECD in family services across the town, including the community. In addition, Merle has been responsible for the transformation of outdoor spaces in Blackpool to be more family and early years friendly.

Prior to this she had strategic responsibility for support for children and families at Blackpool Council where her portfolio included Children’s Centres and nursery provision, adult education, youth employment, targeted youth support including specialist support for substances misuse, sexual health, and offending prevention. She also led on domestic abuse and a range of multidisciplinary services, including Troubled Families, which support vulnerable families and parenting, as well as innovative approaches to support children on the edge of care to remain safely in their homes. Work with schools was also a key area for Merle, especially around multiagency school teams.

Formerly the DfE national attendance advisor, she led Whitehall departments on the joint 'Tackling it Together' initiative to reduce truancy, working closely with pupil welfare services across England and was also one of the Government’s regional child poverty advisers. She has also advised Whitehall departments in a range of areas, including ‘think family’ and MARAC reforms.

Merle is a Trustee for Foundation Years Information and Research and a school governor. She has been a consultant to an international NGO. Merle is a honorary member of the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry.

Merle’s background is in community education and she has worked in Scotland, England, Borneo and Germany in a variety of roles both within the NGO and statutory sectors. She has Masters in both Community Development and CAMHS.