Our Scans · (ZY.4.25) Social Work · Weekly Summary

• [New] Unless governments, employers, and workers act together to harness technology responsibly and expand quality job opportunities for women and youth - through coherent and coordinated institutional responses - decent work deficits will persist and social cohesion will be at risk. UN News
• [New] In 2026, continued escalation of visible social crises, exacerbated by cycles of trauma, will make it feel increasingly inevitable that psychedelics will have a place in the broader continuum of mental health care. Lucid News
• [New] The financial burden is expected to rise by over 114% in 2040 (Wittenberg et al., 2019), driven by escalating needs on hospital, primary care, social services, and unpaid carers. / UK Frontiers
• [New] Cuts to social programs like Medicare are expected to further place strain on both child care workers and providers. EdSurge
• [New] The Australian Government is expected to continue prioritising Social & Care occupations under skilled migration policies, particularly in regional areas. NextGem
• [New] This week, Trump added child care, threatening to cut $10 billion in federal child-care and social services funding for California and four other Democratic-led states, alleging fraud without substantiation. EdSource
• [New] A national strategy for quality of social care will need to align with or be embedded into the Casey Commission. GOV.UK
• WORKFORCE Mental health takes center stage: CEOs elevate it above gender equality and work conditions A worldwide priority: CEOs across the US, Europe, and Japan rank mental health as one of the top three social issues they will prioritize in 2026. The Conference Board
• Around 2.1 billion people will be working in the informal sector in 2026, with limited access to social protection, rights at work, and job security. UN News
• Nearly 300 million workers continue to live in extreme poverty, earning less than US$3 a day, while informality is rising, with 2.1 billion workers expected to hold informal jobs by 2026, with limited access to social protection, rights at work, and job security. International Labour Organization
• The Trump administration plans to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services, and cash support for low-income families in five Democratic-led states. Just Security
• $635.2 million over three years, starting in 2026-27, for Employment and Social Development Canada's Student Work Placement Program, supporting an estimated 55,000 work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students in 20226-27. Talent Canaea
• The workforce need for social workers will continue to be strong in 2026, with a call for social workers in areas such as healthcare and mental health care, children and families, school social work, substance use and addiction services, and policy development. Adelphi University
• As whole-person care (the patient-centered integration of healthcare, behavioral health, and social services) continues to be adopted in California and beyond, we will see HIEs and community-based organizations sharing more information in 2026. LANES
• While standard inflation has leveled off, long-term care rate increases in 2026 are projected to range between 4% and 8%, significantly higher than the 2.8% Social Security COLA. SavingAdvice.com Blog
• Social Security work rules will change in 2026, letting people earn more before benefits are cut. Economic Times
• In 2026, health and social care will lean more heavily into predictive workforce analytics and will seek AI models grounded in real operational data as leaders take action to deliver transformation, including change demanded by national policies, such as the 10 year health plan. Digital Health
• Starting in 2026, significant updates to Social Security rules will affect how Americans can work while receiving benefits. SWC NEWS
• In 2026, technology-enabled care will complete its shift from a peripheral innovation to core infrastructure in health and social care. Med-Tech Insights

Last updated: 29 January 2026