The pause that protects


Menopause can affect memory, concentration, communication, confidence, sensory tolerance and emotional regulation. In high-responsibility environments, those changes can be misunderstood — and assumptions can quickly become professional conclusions.

Duty to Pause is menopause-informed professional practice training for people whose decisions affect children, families and those who care for them.

It helps professionals recognise what may be happening, distinguish evidence from assumption, ask better questions and respond proportionately — while keeping safeguarding, support and professional accountability firmly in view.


Who Duty to Pause is for

Duty to Pause is designed for professionals and organisations whose decisions, records and responses can have significant consequences for children, families and the people who care for them. This includes professionals working across:

  • Fostering and children's social care

    Social workers, supervising social workers, managers, independent reviewing officers, fostering panels, agency decision-makers and independent fostering agencies.

  • Education

    School leaders, safeguarding leads, pastoral teams and other professionals supporting children and families.

  • Health and community services

    GPs, community health professionals and practitioners whose assessment, advice or records may inform wider professional decision-making.

  • Family law and independent practice

    Family-law professionals, independent social workers and others contributing professional evidence, assessment or recommendations.

  • Organisations with responsibility for professional practice

    Leaders, managers and services responsible for safeguarding, workforce support, policy, supervision, learning and organisational accountability.

The roles may differ. The responsibility to distinguish evidence from assumption does not.

What learners will be able to do

Move beyond awareness to safer, more proportionate professional practice.

  • Recognise how menopause symptoms can affect memory, concentration, communication, confidence, sensory tolerance and emotional regulation.

  • Distinguish what is known from what is assumed, and identify what needs clarification before professional conclusions are reached.

  • Pause before concerns become fixed conclusions, formal action or avoidable harm.

  • Hold supportive, lawful and professionally appropriate conversations.

  • Use practical tools to record concerns, agree support and review what happens next.

  • Strengthen organisational learning, accountability and menopause-informed practice.

Four hours. Seven connected modules. Practical change.

Duty to Pause is a self-paced, evidence-informed professional practice programme for people whose decisions, records and responses can affect children, families and those who care for them.

Across seven connected modules, learners follow a developing professional case, make decisions as new information emerges, reflect on their reasoning and use practical tools that can transfer directly into professional practice.

They will receive:

  • Four hours of self-paced professional learning
  • A connected, practice-based case explored across seven modules
  • Interactive professional-judgement activities and guided reflection
  • Practical DTP tools for use in professional practice
  • A certificate of completion


The certificate confirms completion of the programme. It does not certify professional competence.

Practical tools—not just information

Learners receive ready-to-use resources that help turn awareness into consistent professional practice.

  • Individual support resources

    An Individual Support Plan and practical prompts to help professionals prepare for, hold and review supportive conversations.

  • Manager and organisational toolkit

    Guidance, templates and practical resources to support fair, consistent and menopause-informed organisational practice.

  • Reflection and decision-support tools

    An Incident Reflection and Learning Log, fair-recording prompts and practical decision-support tools to help professionals pause, clarify, record and review.

Choose the right Duty to Pause option

Flexible access for individual professionals and organisations.

  • Individual Professional — £195

    Four hours of self-paced professional learning, practical resources, guided reflection and 12 months' access. Includes a certificate of completion.

  • Professional Package — £295

    For one named professional: the complete programme plus the extended DTP Professional Resource Pack, with additional tools and templates to support learning transfer into practice.

  • Organisational Packages — from £2,550

    Multi-user access for teams and organisations, with organisational resources and tools to support implementation, reflection and consistent menopause-informed professional practice.

The Duty to Pause Award of Excellence is a separate evidence-based organisational recognition scheme. Training purchase or completion does not confer, guarantee or influence an award.

Choose your professional learning option

Choose the core professional learning programme or add the extended DTP Professional Resource Pack for additional practice tools and resources.

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Need access for a team or organisation?

Organisational packages start from £2,550 and can include multi-user course access, implementation resources and practical tools to support consistent menopause-informed professional practice across teams and services. Packages can be tailored to organisational size and learning requirements.

Request organisational information

Built from lived experience. Designed for professional practice.

Duty to Pause was created from lived experience of what can happen when menopause-related changes are misunderstood in high-responsibility settings — and when assumptions begin to influence professional judgement. It combines lived experience with evidence-informed learning, realistic professional scenarios and practical tools to help professionals distinguish what is known from what is assumed, ask better questions and respond proportionately — before misunderstanding becomes avoidable harm.
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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about Duty to Pause

  • Who is Duty to Pause for?

    Duty to Pause is designed for professionals whose decisions, records and responses can affect children, families and those who care for them. This includes professionals working across fostering and social care, education, safeguarding, health and community services, family law and independent practice, as well as managers and organisations responsible for professional practice.

  • How long does the course take?

    The course provides approximately four hours of structured learning across seven connected modules. It is self-paced, so learners can stop and return when convenient.

  • What will learners receive?

    Learners work through a developing professional case, interactive decision-making activities and guided reflection. They also receive practical DTP tools to support conversations, fair recording, professional judgement, reflection and review, together with a certificate of completion.

  • Can Duty to Pause be used across an organisation?

    Yes. Duty to Pause is designed for organisations as well as individual professionals. Organisational access can support consistent learning across teams, strengthen reflective practice and provide practical tools that can be embedded into professional practice beyond the course.

  • Do learners need any previous menopause training?

    No. The course explains the essential information clearly and builds towards practical application. It is suitable both for people approaching the subject for the first time and for experienced professionals who want to strengthen their menopause-informed professional practice.

  • Is Duty to Pause a clinical or diagnostic course?

    No. Duty to Pause does not teach professionals to diagnose menopause or make clinical judgements outside their role. It develops menopause-informed professional practice: recognising when menopause may be relevant, asking appropriate questions, distinguishing evidence from assumption and responding proportionately within professional boundaries.