Menopause in social care

Menopause is a workforce issue

Care England and Menopause Support recently held a series of webinars on menopause in adult social care, an issue gaining increasing traction in workforce policy. The first provided an overview of what needs to be considered when understanding menopause. What came through most clearly was that menopause is still too often misunderstood, too narrowly defined, and too rarely supported in ways that meet the realities of working life in social care.

In social care, this is not a fringe issue. It affects a large part of the workforce, which is 78% female and has an average age of 45. Yet many people are still expected to manage symptoms quietly, work through uncertainty, and make sense of changes they may not even realise are linked to menopause. This first webinar Understanding Menopause, hosted by Diane Danzebrink from Menopause Support, made clear that if the sector is serious about workforce wellbeing, retention and support, menopause must be treated as part of that conversation.

About Menopause Support

Menopause Support is a social enterprise founded by Diane Danzebrink to close the gap in menopause awareness, information and support.

Working with Care England, Menopause Support is helping bring that support into adult social care. Its work helps care workers better understand symptoms, feel more confident in seeking help, and access practical support earlier.

It also helps employers create more open, informed and supportive workplaces — reducing stigma and making it easier for staff to stay well and stay in work.

To find out more about the support available for social care workers and organisations, visit Care England and Menopause Support.

Breaking stigma and understanding symptoms

It is clear that public understanding of menopause is very limited. For many people, the term still brings to mind a very narrow picture; such as hot flushes and night sweats.

But the reality is much broader than that. Menopause can affect people not only physically, but also psychologically and cognitively. It can show up through anxiety, lower mood, reduced confidence, memory problems, and difficulty concentrating, as well as through a wide range of other physical symptoms that are discussed far less.

The current gap in understanding is exacerbated because symptoms are often misread. If someone is feeling more anxious than usual, struggling to focus, losing confidence, or finding everyday work more mentally and physically demanding, menopause may not be the first explanation that comes to mind.

Many people assume they are simply run down, overwhelmed, or not coping as well as they should. The discussion highlighted just how important it can be to have the right information at the right time. Knowing what menopause can look like does not make symptoms disappear, but it can help people understand what is happening and seek support sooner.

Diane’s most important message is that menopause is not one single, uniform experience. It does not only happen in one way or at one age. Menopause may be spontaneous, surgically or medically induced, or occur earlier (between 40 and 45 years old) or prematurely (younger than 40). This may occur when medical treatments or surgical procedures affect the ovaries and disrupt hormone production, leading to an earlier or unexpected onset. For some people, menopause occurs naturally earlier in life, without an external cause. Perimenopause must also be considered, as this starts a few years prior to menopause and involves the reduction in frequency of menstrual periods and the onset of some menopausal symptoms. The entire experience takes several years and symptoms never really disappear.

Recognising its diversity as a condition is essential, because the narrower our assumptions are, the more likely it is that people’s experiences will be missed or dismissed.

Menopause in social care

For social care, this has very practical implications. These roles rely heavily on concentration, communication, and confidence. They are often physically demanding, meaning symptoms can make it harder to navigate shifts, absorb new processes, adapt and feel secure in work. In a sector already dealing with workforce pressures, that is something employers cannot afford to overlook.

Diane highlighted that there is a wider cost to this silence. Menopause does not only affect health in the abstract; it can affect relationships, career progression and lifestyle. Workers may reduce their hours, step back from opportunities, or consider leaving work altogether. When experienced staff feel they must struggle through symptoms without support, the loss is felt not only by the individual, but by the wider sector.

Diane emphasises that better support does not have to begin with major cost or complex policy. It starts with awareness, openness and practical adjustments. It means creating workplaces where menopause can be talked about without embarrassment, where managers are better informed, and where people know where to go for support. It also means recognising that relatively simple steps can make a real difference, whether that is peer support, menopause-focused conversations, more thoughtful approaches to comfort at work, or clearer routes into specialist help.

Awareness changes how workplaces respond, how quickly someone feels able to ask for help, and whether menopause is treated as something to hide or something that can be understood and supported properly.

The wider point is a simple one. Menopause should not sit at the edge of workforce conversations in social care. It is too common, too varied, and too significant in its effects for that. If the sector wants to keep experienced staff, support wellbeing and build workplaces where people can thrive across the length of their careers – menopause must be part of the picture.

The webinar helped bring that into focus, the next step is spreading awareness and turning this into something practical.