Rawlings, Grace (1909-1988) OBE

Typed text concerning committees, working parties and reports, correspondence, mental health review tribunal and miscellaneous material concerning Grace Rawlings President of the British Psychological Society 1966-1967.

Grace Rawlings, OBE, BA, Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Held uninterrupted office within the Society in various capacities, viz.:

Secretary of Education Section

Secretary and Chairman of Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP) and its forerunners

Honorary Secretary of the Society

President, 1966-1967, the first clinical psychologist to hold the post.

As Honorary General Secretary took a large part in the preparatory work for the Charter granted 1965

Took a major part in founding the Professional Divisions

Represented psychologists in the staff side negotiations with Soulbury Committee and Whitley Council

In Educational Psychology she gave advisory work towards the establishment of psychological services by London Education Authorities

Since 1946 she was a consultant psychologist at teaching hospitals (U.C.H. and West London), a consultant psychologist at UCL and professional advisor to N.A.M.H. council and committees

She organized courses for teachers of retarded children (1935-1939), courses for School Medical Officers 1957-1967 and the Post-graduate Diploma in Educational Psychology at UCL since its inception in 1946.

Her advisory work included service for 6 years as BPS nominee on N.W.Met. R.B.H. Mental Health Review Tribunal and N.A.M.H. representative on Training Council for Teachers of the Mentally Handicapped and its Courses Committee since inception.

After studying under Spearman (1863-1945) at UCL, she went to the Central Association for Mental Welfare. A pioneer in educational psychology, she did much to encourage local education authorities to establish their own departments. By 1939 she was working herself for the City of Oxford, while being closely involved with the Canonbury Clinic in North London. At the end the Second World War Grace concentrated upon clinical psychology. At University College Hospital, while continuing to practice in her own right, she was responsible for postgraduate professional training. It was in this field, above all, that she built up her international reputation. Grace was crucially influential on the Committee of Professional Psychologists (later becoming the Division of Professional Psychologists) and was involved together with Graham Foulds in a survey of clinical service needs which laid the foundations for psychologists in what was then the brand new National Health Service. Her energy and involvement was widespread and rewarded with the the award of the OBE in in 1970. Within the BPS she held many posts (as listed above). In retirement she served on the Standing Committee on Membership.

Grace Rawlings died in Exeter 12 August 1988. She was unmarried.

Biographical sources "Grace Rawlings-In Memorium" The Psychologist, November 1988 by Tony Black

British Psychological Society accession number 0026.