Research and Insights

The Art of Noticing

Reflections on International Women’s Day

I've recently been given a book called "The Art of Noticing" by Rob Walker, which is all about rediscovering what really matters to you.

It's about staying eager, connecting and finding interest in the every day and noticing what others overlook. I think this has exercised my noticing muscle, and on International Women’s Day (IWD) where the theme is inclusion, I've recently really been noticing in the media examples of how women are spoken about and valued in society.

From Mark Robinson saying “I absolutely want to go back to an America where women couldn’t vote” to the challenges of Clare Wood's family fighting for the rights of women experiencing domestic abuse, it's very clear that there is still a lot of work to be done on gender parity and the equal inclusion of women in society.

Of course, noticing is just the start. I have to ask myself what can I do to promote the inclusion of women in society. How do we advocate and amplify the value of women? It's a huge task but it can start with me.

Over the last 6 years, I've worked with many inspirational Health professionals and know the vital contribution they make to children's health. There is one group who simply is not consistently noticed for the value they bring, and they are predominantly a female workforce - Health Play Specialists.

When properly included, they play a vital role in the multiple disciplinary team; a fundamental role in alleviating the trauma of children and their families; and even help children to feel less pain. 

Together this reduction in the stressful impact of treatment on children means procedures can be much more efficient, saving vital time and money. And yet, this workforce is crying out for more consistent inclusion, to be understood properly and for their voices to be heard and expertise recognised.

At Starlight we know that change is possible. For our vital workforce of Health Play Specialists, we will continue to support their education and training; build networks and support these already expert professionals to advocate for themselves. 

Meanwhile, we will advocate for their more consistent inclusion in multi-disciplinary teams to ensure their role is more widely respected and understood and their professional status is properly recognised and valued.

The Inspire Inclusion theme of IWD this year is a call for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. 

It encourages everyone to recognise the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life. Where does this begin? It starts with you and me taking notice and taking action to change the inclusion of women and bit by bit change the world we live in.