The Trustees

Maria Callias is a consultant clinical psychologist, and a founder member of Children and War UK. She’s worked in specialist clinical services for children and young people with autism, learning disabilities and other complex mental health issues including trauma, and their families. She’s written widely on clinical psychology, and has led on strategic policy and service development, in the UK, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Until 2021, she was a director of Norway’s Children and War Foundation.

Julian Hale has worked for the UN Economic Commission, as a modern language text publisher and as a radio documentary producer for the BBC. He is the author of a wide range of non-fiction books on radio propaganda, Romania, the French Riviera, and the life of a portrait sculptor, as well as novels and short stories.

Helen Likierman, a clinical psychologist, has worked with children, adolescents and families in hospital and school settings. Her research ranges from the psychological impact on children who sustained facial or body burns, to pre-schoolers’ peer relationships.

She has co-authored three books for parents: on development in the early years, and on specific learning difficulties. She has been involved with Children and War for several years and now coordinates its UK fundraising.

Stephen Matlin is Visiting Professor in the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, and Senior Fellow in the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.

He has worked in the fields of chemistry, health and education in academia, government and international agencies and NGOs. The focus of his recent work has included sustainable development, the global effort to eradicate polio, and the health of migrants and refugees.

Patrick Smith is a Reader in Clinical Psychology at King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. He is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in a specialist trauma clinic for children and young people at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Laura Timms worked as a clinical psychologist in Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for over 30 years. She used skills and techniques gained in her time in child and adolescent mental health services to work with children and young people experiencing life changing/limiting conditions and loss as a result of acute or chronic illness.

William Yule is Emeritus Professor of Applied Child Psychology at King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. After working with UNICEF during the former Yugoslavia war, he joined Atle Dyregrov in Norway to establish the Children and War Foundation. In 2005 he was given the lifetime achievement award by the International Society for the Study of Traumatic Stress for his work with children.