Recognise what might otherwise be misread
Understand how menopause can affect thinking, memory, mood, communication and daily functioning—and why changes must be explored rather than labelled.
Pause before professional judgments travel
Learn how assumptions, private reports and incomplete records can influence supervision, fostering decisions and outcomes for children and carers.
Respond in ways that protect
Use practical conversations, support planning, fair recording and review to protect children, the people who care for them, relationships and placement stability.
Why this training matters
A person caring for a looked-after child may continue meeting that child’s needs while privately experiencing significant cognitive, physical or emotional change. When those changes are not recognised or properly explored, distress can be mistaken for poor attitude, instability or inability to cope. Around a looked-after child, professional interpretations rarely remain with one person. They can travel through supervision notes, school records, assessments, reviews, panels and decision-making processes — influencing how a carer is understood and, ultimately, decisions affecting the child, their relationships and placement stability. Duty to Pause combines lived experience, realistic professional scenarios, reflective learning and practical tools. It does not ask professionals to diagnose menopause. It teaches them to notice change, listen properly, separate fact from assumption, consider proportionate support and pause before conclusions become lasting records or life-changing decisions.
Why I created Duty to Pause
I’m Gemma Keeley. I was a solo foster carer to three siblings and am now a special guardian. I created Duty to Pause after experiencing severe menopause symptoms while caring for children with complex needs. Changes in my health were not recognised or properly explored. Instead, concerns and assumptions travelled between professionals and became part of decisions affecting me, the children I loved and the stability of our family. Duty to Pause turns that lived experience into professional learning. It is not about assigning blame or suggesting that menopause explains every difficulty. It is about helping the professionals around looked-after children recognise change, ask better questions, respond proportionately and distinguish evidence from assumption before decisions are made. I cannot change what happened to us. I can use it to help professionals pause — and change what happens next for another child, carer or family.
From awareness to safer professional practice
Across seven connected modules, learners move from recognising often-misunderstood changes to applying safer, fairer professional judgement around looked-after children and the people who care for them. A final applied assessment helps turn that learning into more consistent, accountable professional practice.
More Than Hot Flushes Understand the wider cognitive, emotional and physical effects of menopause — and why changes in presentation or functioning should be explored rather than assumed.
Through Her Eyes Explore lived experience and consider how unseen changes can affect caring, communication, relationships and professional interactions.
When Disclosure Is Dismissed Learn how to receive a disclosure, clarify what is being communicated and respond with appropriate support without making premature conclusions.
When Asking for Help Is Mistaken for Giving Up: Explore how distress, requests for respite or statements made under pressure can be misinterpreted — and why professionals should clarify meaning, assess immediate safety and consider support before reaching lasting conclusions.
Records That Travel Understand how observations, interpretations and labels can move through professional systems — and practise recording information accurately, fairly and with clear evidence, context and provenance.
Training or Tick-Box Compliance Examine the difference between completing training and changing practice — and identify what meaningful organisational implementation and accountability actually look like.
Duty of Care in Action Apply the learning through practical tools for supportive conversations, proportionate responses, fair recording, review and safer professional decision-making.
Final Assessment Bring the learning together through an applied assessment that tests professional judgement, not simply recall — then identify how you will translate that learning into practice.
Certificate of Completion Complete the programme and final assessment to receive a four-hour certificate of completion, valid for 12 months
What you’ll receive
Duty to Pause is a complete professional-learning experience, not simply a presentation about menopause. > Seven connected modules focused on menopause-informed professional practice around looked-after children > Realistic professional scenarios and reflective activities that test judgement, not simply knowledge > Knowledge checks throughout the programme to reinforce learning > Guidance for supportive conversations, proportionate responses, fair recording and professional review > Practical downloadable tools to support individual, supervisory and organisational practice > A final applied assessment and personal practice commitment > A four-hour certificate of completion, valid for 12 months
The Pause that Protects
Four hours of specialist, practice-led learning for professionals whose support, records and decisions can affect looked-after children and the people who care for them. Learn to recognise change, pause before conclusions are formed and respond in ways that protect children, carers, relationships and placement stability.
£195.00
Bring Duty to Pause to your organisation
Organisational packages are available for teams and services, with multi-user course access, implementation support and licensed resources. Organisations wishing to demonstrate how the learning has been embedded in practice can also apply separately for the Duty to Pause Award of Excellence.
Go beyond training: Demonstrate meaningful change
Duty to Pause is designed to support lasting improvements in professional practice — not simply course completion. Organisations that embed the learning into leadership, policy and everyday decision-making may apply separately for the Duty to Pause Award of Excellence. Recognition is evidence-led and assessed against defined criteria. The Award of Excellence has three levels — Bronze, Silver and Gold — recognising progress from organisational commitment through embedded practice to sustained excellence. Awards are valid for two years, supporting continued reflection, accountability and improvement. Contact us to discuss the Duty to Pause Award of Excellence and the evidence required to apply.
Learn at your own pace Complete the approximately four-hour programme online, returning whenever you need to.
Practical, applied learning Work through realistic professional scenarios, reflective activities and practical tools focused on safer practice around looked-after children and the people who care for them.
Certificate on completion Complete the required learning and final assessment to receive a four-hour certificate of completion, valid for 12 months.
If you care about changing what happens next
If your organisation is committed to preventing avoidable harm, Duty to Pause provides the understanding and practical tools professionals need to recognise change, challenge assumptions and respond fairly. Help create practice that protects looked-after children, the people who care for them, their relationships and placement stability — before misunderstanding becomes avoidable harm.
£195.00