Dr. Melissa J Ross

Clinical Psychologist Role

Melissa Ross is a Clinical Psychologist. She provides complex assessments for children and young people. She has extensive experience in premature and high-risk follow-up, and the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Her career in diagnosis and assessment started more than 20 years ago working with individuals from 12 months to 21 years of age.

She provides training throughout Australia and New Zealand as a consultant for Pearson. She uses a variety of standardised assessments including: The Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development, Griffiths Mental Development Scales, Wechsler Scales, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2, achievement, attention and executive function tests and behavioural and adaptive questionnaires. She is registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and provides supervision for Psychologists working towards Clinical endorsement.

Consultant Psychologist Role

Melissa provides consultant psychology services to Pearson Australia. She provides training on the Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development – 3rd Edition, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale or Intelligence. She trained clinicians in The Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development, 4th Edition(A&NZ) standardisation project. Her role involves conducting professional training workshops virtually and face-to-face. These workshops summarise the development and standardisation of the tool, as well as the administration and interpretation of the assessment. The workshops prepare eligible individuals to use the assessments in a standardised manner for clinical and/or research purposes.

Professional Education

Melissa graduated from Macquarie University with a BA in Psychology. She completed a BA Honours and Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ballarat focusing on State Regulation in children with an Intellectual Disability, with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder at the University of Western Australia.

Publications

Melissa is published in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews and Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Contributor

Melissa was a contributor to the FASD Advisory Committee, Tasmania (2024). She is the founder and coordinator of Sydney Psychologists Paediatric Group (2010 – current).

Notable Academic Accomplishments

Melissa was Awarded a HECS Exemption Scholarship for the Professional Doctorate Program. She was Head of Class in Psychological Research (Honours) and Head of class in Methods of Social Research (BA PSY).

Professional Registration

Psychologist, Area of Endorsement: Clinical Psychology. AHPRA Registration Number PSY0001266861.

APS Membership Number 109609.