Melanie is Karen and Ben's Childminder.
It is not mentioned that she is one of their friend's mothers but sometimes she gives them a lift to school and back home.
Her first appearance was The Pigeon , where she came to collect Karen and Ben to take them to school because Sue was unable to take them because she had to clean the house for the Buyers.
Later that day she informs Sue that Ben's teacher wanted to have a word with her the next day because he and his best friend Ibrahim were kettling the little girls in the lower playground.