Blog: Creating office spaces with inclusion in mind

Helen Rudd Quality Optimisation Lead

As a mother of two sons, I’ve spent the last eight and a half years either pregnant or breastfeeding (or both!). Along the way, I’ve trained as a peer supporter and become a La Leche League Leader, a charity where they support mothers with breastfeeding and parenting. Now I volunteer as a MoMa Breastfeeding Counsellor and support other mothers with tips and guidance on breastfeeding.

We've recently undergone an office location change and, when I reviewed the initial floorplan, it became immediately apparent that there wasn't a designated space for nursing mothers. It was a small omission, but one with big implications for mothers returning to work while continuing to breastfeed.

I know first-hand how important these spaces are. Thanks to the nursing mothers’ room at my old office, I was able to attend a KIT (Keeping in Touch) day and complete on-site training, an opportunity that would've been much harder without a private, supportive space to express milk for my four month old son.

Once I returned to the office after maternity leave, I knew the room was available for me and felt reassured that Southern Housing supported my emotional and physical health.

So when I saw that space had not been provided at our new office, I reached out to our in-house Parents and Carers network group to share my concerns. What followed was a truly collaborative effort involving the Parent and Carers network group, People Support, Facilities and others.

Together we explored what a supportive space could look like, one that's private, comfortable and accessible. The network brought diverse perspectives, and I was able to contribute both as a professional and as someone with lived experience.

Thanks to this partnership, the final plans now include a private space for nursing mothers. It’s a small but meaningful change that reflects our shared commitment to inclusion and wellbeing.

This experience reminded me how powerful it can be when we speak up and work together. Making sure these needs are considered from the start is a simple but important way to show that everyone belongs. It’s a great example of how small actions can support bigger change, and why now is the time to keep inclusion at the heart of everything we do.