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

• [New] India has been elected to the UN Economic and Social Council for 2026-2028, showing the world's trust in India's work on global development. Exam Charcha
• To unlock the full potential of gig work, India must implement comprehensive measures like robust legal frameworks, portable social security, and enhanced grievance redressal systems. Drishti IAS
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Cuts to social programs like Medicare are expected to further place strain on both child care workers and providers. EdSurge
• The Australian Government is expected to continue prioritising Social & Care occupations under skilled migration policies, particularly in regional areas. NextGem
• 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
• 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

Last updated: 12 February 2026