Birmingham Children's Trust's board (updated 12 April 2024)

James Thomas - Chief Executive

James Thomas was the Corporate Director for Children and Culture at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 2020 and 2023, where he was also appointed to be Deputy Chief Executive.  Prior to that the substantive leadership roles that James held were as Interim Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire Children’s Trust; Director of Children’s Services for the London Borough of Richmond; Director of Children’s Services for the Greater Manchester Borough of Tameside; Director of Children’s Services for the London Borough of Newham; and Director of Family Services for Westminster City Council. James has for some years provided leadership for ADCS on multi-agency safeguarding.  He is a Non-Executive Director of the Innovation Unit.  James has maintained his status as a registered Social Worker.

James’s core values are rooted in a commitment to public service, conviction of the need for social justice and to combat inequality and discrimination, and integrity in all he does. He is a Londoner with family roots that encompass Wales, India, Cheshire, Ireland and Russia. 

Lee Yale-Helms - Director of Finances and Resources

Lee joined the Trust in September 2018.  He is a qualified public service accountant whose career spans 14 years in local government, including work in education and supporting children with special needs.

His career spans a further 18 years in public services financial advisory roles, including Director of Finance at Doncaster Children's Services Trust. 

Lee provides financial expertise and input to the Trust’s strategic and business planning processes and leads the delivery of a range of corporate and support services.  

He is an associate member of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADSC) and was President of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) in the Midlands 2021-2023, representing Birmingham at a national level with both CIPFA and ADCS and promoting better funding for children’s social care.

David Stringfellow - Director of Practice (Interim)

David started his career in Birmingham as a social work assistant and then as a qualified social worker in the East of the city. He has extensive experience of children’s social care having worked across a range of departments at all levels.

Notably he led the implementation of the first Multiagency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) in the country.

David has specialised in supporting the transformation of failing authorities and has a proven track record of improving Ofsted ratings.  

Prior to joining the Trust in April 2019 David was a Director of Children’s Social Care in the North of the country.  

Lisa Jamieson - Director of Commissioning and Corporate Parenting (Acting)

Lisa began working at the Trust in 2018 taking up a permanent position as Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting and Commissioning in 2019, following 25 years working in the North West of England.

A graduate of Liverpool University, Lisa is committed to supporting the workforce across the Trust and has a keen interest in equality and diversity.  Lisa spent many years as a member of the Coram BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering) equalities diversity policy development group.  Lisa has mentored a number of managers into leadership roles.

Lisa has a proven track record of transforming services particularly in fostering, adoption and the multi-agency safeguarding hub, leading the Trust fostering and adoption services to be judged Good with Outstanding features.