Robina Addis: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Psychiatric social worker}}

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'''Robina Scott Addis,''' (1900{{Post-1981nominals|country=GBR|OBE|size=100%}} (1900–1986)<ref name=":0" /> was one of the earliest professional psychiatric social workers in Britain.

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Addis was not always interested in Social Work. Originally, she read History at the [[University of Oxford]], but after two years she was forced to cut her studies short due to illness. Later, in 1931, Addis decided to go theto the [[London School of Economics]] where she became interested in the idea of child guidance which led her to apply for their Mental Health Course. She graduated from this in 1933.<ref name=":1">{{Citation

Robina Addis (1900-1981) was one of the earliest professional psychiatric social workers in Britain.

| title = Cohen Interviews- ROBINA SCOTT ADDIS – Interview no 1

| editor-last = Cook

| editor-first = Tim

| editor2-last = Marsh

| editor2-first = Harry

| year = 2013

| url = http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/explorefurther/speakingarchives/socialwork/929.publ_no_1_addis.pdf

}}</ref>

After graduating, Addis had a varied career. She started off working in child guidance and then with the National Association for Mental Health (later renamed [[Mind (charity)|Mind]]), from which she retired in 1965. In 1960, she became Deputy General Secretary of Mind and later, in 1979, she founded the Child Guidance Trust in order to pass on her knowledge.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://wellcomelibrary.org/collections/digital-collections/mental-healthcare/robina-addis/|title=Robina Addis|website=wellcomelibrary.org|access-date=2016-11-15}}</ref>

Addis was not always interested in Social Work. Originally, she read History at the [[University of Oxford]], but after two years she was forced to cut her studies short due to illness. Later, in 1931, Addis decided to go the the [[London School of Economics]] where she became interested in the idea of child guidance which led her to apply for their Mental Health Course. She graduated from this in 1933.

== Early life ==

After graduating, Addis had a varied career. She started off working in child guidance and then with the National Association for Mental Health (later renamed [[Mind]]), from which she retired in 1965. In 1960, she became Deputy General Secretary of Mind and later, in 1979, she founded the Child Guidance Trust in order to pass on her knowledge.

Addis was the fourth of the thirteen children of Sir Charles and Lady Addis née Elizabeth Jane McIsaac.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry|last=Townend|first=Peter|publisher=Burke's Peerage Ltd|year=1965–1972|isbn=9781148282930|___location=London}}</ref> She would later cite her numerous siblings, nieces and nephews as a starting point for her interest in child psychology.<ref name=":1" /> The family resided at the country estate Woodside in Frant, Sussex.<ref>{{Cite ODNB|title=Addis, Sir Charles Stewart (1861–1945), banker and government adviser|year=2004|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-38334|language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/38334|last1=Dayer|first1=Roberta Allbert}}</ref>

One of her brothers, [[John Addis (diplomat)|Sir John Mansfield Addis]], was a diplomat in later life, and another brother [[William Addis (colonial administrator)|William Addis]] was a colonial administrator and former [[Governor of Bermuda]] and [[Governor of the Seychelles]].

== Education ==

Addis attended the University of Oxford to read History for two years before having to leave due to illness.<ref name=":1" /> Nevertheless, she afterwards spent five years working with Professor Charles Waley-Singer cataloguing the [[alchemy|alchemical]] manuscripts of the British Isles. After this, Addis attended the London School of Economics with the idea of pursuing teaching and child psychology.<ref name=":1" /> While attending lectures on child psychology at LSE, Addis was introduced to the study of child guidance and applied to study what was then LSE's Mental Health Course. Due to credits from previous studies at LSE and practical experience before enrolling, Addis was able to skip the normal Social Science diploma that was expected. She qualified in 1933.<ref name=":1" />

==References==

{{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Addis, Robina}}

[[Category:1900 births]]

[[Category:1986 deaths]]

[[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]]

[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]

[[Category:British social workers]]