UNAFORIS 2025 Activity Report

Social Work Looking to 2050

Report Summary

(Marcel Jaeger, Anna Rurka, december 2025)

This report outlines a vision for social work looking ahead to 2050 and proposes ways to shift from a & feared future & (loss of purpose in social work due to "Uberization & or disengagement, etc.) to a & desirable future & for the sector—addressing the crisis in the sector’s appeal, exacerbated by the pandemic and various other factors.

4 Key Issues, 7 Strategic Areas, 5 Recommendations

The High Council for Social Work (HCTS) initiated this process to anticipate future developments and define long-term action strategies. The report identifies key findings and major challenges linked to ongoing major transitions, as well as seven strategic areas for adapting social work, and finally formulates key recommendations for public authorities and sector stakeholders.

Observations and key issues

Digital transitions

The digital revolution, including the rise of artificial intelligence, is transforming the way social interventions are carried out. Digital tools offer opportunities to better target needs and coordinate services, but they also entail risks of exclusion (the digital divide, dehumanized procedures) and the erosion of social bonds. & Algorithmic logic must not supplant the human element; the use of technology requires regulation to ensure it remains a support for professionals rather than a substitute, while also preventing ethical pitfalls. Furthermore, shifts in how social workers practice are already evident due to digital technology (e.g., the growth of independent social work), reflecting a desire to break free from certain institutional constraints.

Ecological transitions and climate change

The climate emergency will give rise to new needs and vulnerabilities within the population, directly impacting social work. The sector will need to reduce its carbon footprint and adapt its operations (for example, car-dependent home care services represent a point of vulnerability).

Extreme weather events and climate-related health crises will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable (the elderly, the homeless, residents of high-risk areas, etc.), thereby exacerbating social and territorial inequalities. Significant internal and international "climate migration & is also anticipated by 2050, raising questions regarding the reception of new vulnerable populations.

Finally, public finances will come under strain due to the tension between rising demands for social support and potential unfavorable budgetary trade-offs (such as the risk of disinvestment if other priorities—like security or defense—take precedence). The climate challenge therefore requires the social work sector to integrate risk management, strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities, and proactively participate in the ecological transition.

Demographic transitions

Population aging is a certainty for the 2040–2050 period, coinciding with a decline in the birth rate. This demographic dynamic—combined with other factors such as falling birth rates, migration, and changing family structures—is redefining social needs and requiring a rethink of how professionals intervene. Social work must adapt to support these shifts: preventing intergenerational divides (e.g., through inclusive housing or intergenerational co- living arrangements), coordinating efforts with the healthcare sector to manage the rise in age- related chronic diseases, and supporting mobility (such as seniors moving closer to family).
Shifts in Social Work and Evolving Practices Societal transformations are accompanied by a shift in social work intervention methods. On one hand, the role of the individuals receiving support is evolving: there is an increasing need to co-construct responses with the people involved, to acknowledge their lived experience,
and to involve them in developing solutions that affect them.

This approach—centered on empowerment and participation—enhances the effectiveness of support and must be integrated into professional training. On the other hand, the profile of social practitioners is diversifying: alongside traditional salaried social workers, we are seeing the emergence of independent practitioners, social entrepreneurs, and actors from the private sector or the broader non-profit world entering the social field. This expands the social work ecosystem and raises questions regarding the legitimacy and coordination of these new actors.

Professional practices themselves are changing: after years where individual support took precedence, a rebalancing toward collective and preventive approaches is required to rebuild social ties at the local level.
The seven key strategic initiatives identified The objective is a more integrated, cooperative, and ecological approach to local public policy, avoiding the proliferation of redundant schemes. To address the challenges outlined above, the working group proposes seven strategic areas for transforming social work. These
& key strategic initiatives & represent areas where immediate action is essential to prepare for 2050.

1. Adapting social intervention methods

Recent decades have prioritized individualized support, often at the expense of collective initiatives. The report advocates for a rebalancing: revitalizing collective interventions and fostering participation in community life. Historically, social work was rooted in a deep understanding of the local area and relied on volunteers and the local social fabric. Looking ahead, the report focuses on inclusive policies: the aim is to enable everyone to live within the mainstream community rather than in segregated settings, by improving access to standard
public services.

The HCTS recommends a shift toward "outreach-based & social work—mobile and close to the people it serves—that integrates individual and collective interventions and fosters closer cooperation with families, loved ones, and volunteers.

2. Territorializing public policy

Significant disparities currently exist across different regions, regarding both exposure to risks (environmental, economic, etc.) and the resources available to address them. Without proactive intervention, these regional inequalities risk worsening. The report recommends making their reduction an absolute priority. This entails better tailoring social policies to local contexts (territorialization) while establishing common standards to ensure equity across the entire country.

The aim is to intelligently coordinate the actions of the State and local authorities: strengthening the State’s presence where it is lacking, while allowing local flexibility for innovation. The report proposes developing shared regional assessments, breaking down silos between interventions (better coordinating social, medical, and voluntary sector services within a given area), and piloting unified social action plans at the local level.

3. The evolution of organizations: towards more agile structures

Social work institutions (state agencies, departmental councils, associations, etc.) must adapt their internal operations to enhance efficiency and responsiveness. The report recommends simplifying and streamlining organizations within the social sector. The aim is to achieve administrative simplicity, ensure alignment between objectives and resources, and guarantee the sustainability of structures. In practical terms, this entails limiting the layering of schemes and hierarchical levels, prioritizing a holistic view of the individuals being supported, and restoring the role of collective intervention.

All stakeholders—whether public or private, and at both national and local levels—are called upon to rethink their management and operational strategies by rediscovering the value of simplicity. The goal is to better evaluate existing models and devise new, more agile ones capable of adapting to the risks and opportunities that lie ahead between now and 2050.

4. Training first : taking action and supporting change

Professional training is identified as a priority investment for facing the future. It is the professionals on the ground who will implement public policies and rise to the challenges of these transitions.

Training content must evolve to incorporate new skills that will be essential by 2050. The report outlines three key areas for skill development : supporting transitions by analyzing ongoing shifts and driving change on the ground ; mastering integrated and collaborative approaches to overcome system fragmentation, work participatively, and tailor actions to local ecosystems  and leveraging the diversity of stakeholders and forms of knowledge by creating synergies among, professionals, service users, caregivers, volunteers, and others.
The report also highlights the importance of continuous professional development throughout one’s career and the use of active teaching methods.

5. Empowering stakeholders – Strengthening local initiatives and the participation of everyone No one can afford to remain passive in the face of climatic, demographic, and digital transformations. The report highlights our lack of preparedness for the risks looming between 2030 and 2050, set against a backdrop of dwindling public funds. The priority, therefore, is to invest in people—training and supporting not only professionals but also volunteers, caregivers, and the individuals receiving care themselves, so they can better cope with change and mitigate emerging vulnerabilities.

In practical terms, this means redefining roles: giving a greater voice to service users, caregivers, and citizens within services and in local and national decision-making bodies. The local level is viewed as the ideal scale for breaking down service silos and embedding citizen participation.

The social worker of the future could become a true & community facilitator & centered on the individual receiving care, mobilizing families, neighbors, peer supporters, and other ecosystem resources, while remaining accountable to their organization. This initiative to foster agency aligns with the goal of opening up decision-making processes and supporting the autonomy of frontline professionals in order to unleash their creativity.

6. Developing an integrated approach to major transitions

Between the traditional institutional model and a scenario involving the & Uberization & of social services (algorithmic platforms connecting clients and service providers based on market dynamics), the report proposes a third way: communities of action. & This entails establishing sustainable partnerships that bring together diverse stakeholders—such as professionals from various sectors, volunteers, and the individuals receiving support—around a shared goal, allowing them to pool their skills without rigid hierarchical structures. This horizontal, network-based model, focused on concrete action, would be more streamlined and
easier for service users to navigate. The individuals themselves become resources within the community of action, just like the service providers. The report views these communities of action as an integrated approach capable of addressing interconnected challenges—social, ecological, and health-related—in a cross-cutting manner.

7. Investing in research to anticipate changes

The seventh area of ​​focus calls for increased investment in social work research. A better understanding of the ongoing changes is essential to developing relevant solutions and adapting training to the realities of tomorrow. The recent creation of a National Institute of Social Work is a step in this direction, but its programs must be geared towards the major identified transitions (demographic, climate, digital) and multidisciplinary and participatory research (involving practitioners, affected individuals, etc.) must be encouraged. The report calls for structuring a genuine discipline of "social work and social intervention and providing it with the financial resources commensurate with the challenges of future social cohesion. It proposes considering social intervention not as an expense but as an investment in the future, essential for the cohesion and survival of society. In other words, investing in research (and evaluation) today will allow us to better anticipate tomorrow’s needs and avoid higher human and financial costs in the future.

Recommendations

Drawing on these findings and ongoing initiatives, the working group issues several strategic recommendations aimed at both public authorities and practitioners in the field. These recommendations are designed to prepare the social work sector now for the 2030–2050 horizon.

Preparing for upcoming changes

The report recommends fostering a genuine culture of foresight within the social sector. It proposes systematically training social care organizations and facilities in risk and emergency management, while leveraging the existing skills of social workers. A national emergency social intervention plan—modeled on flood prevention plans—could be developed to address natural or health-related disasters. In response to the digital revolution, the report advocates for convening a broad-based forum on digital transitions in the social and medico-social sectors as soon as possible. This wide-ranging consultation would mobilize all
stakeholders—professionals, policymakers, and the people directly affected—to anticipate technological developments, establish ethical safeguards, and avoid a scenario of forced, disruptive technological change.
Evolving professional practices and support services

The first step is to reinvent the helping relationship by placing greater value on the abilities and resources of the person being supported and their support network. Next, it is necessary to break down silos in social intervention by strengthening partnerships beyond the social sector alone. The report recommends in particular establishing lasting coordination between the social, health, and medico-social sectors, based on a shared understanding of overall health.

The report emphasizes the need to simplify and streamline systems to enable social workers to innovate locally. They must be given more flexibility to initiate local, collective projects, trigger rapid preventive interventions, or build support networks within their communities. Combating regional inequalities

The report proposes rolling out shared territorial assessments of local needs and vulnerabilities to better target public action. It also recommends developing a national social typology of territories—supported by public statistical agencies and the High Commission for Planning—by combining key indicators such as poverty rates, aging, isolation, service provision, and climate risk. This mapping would facilitate a debate on public service
standards: defining what must be guaranteed everywhere on an equal basis, while allowing territories the freedom to innovate beyond that baseline.

The report emphasizes the need to strike a balance between equity and local autonomy to restore public trust in institutions. Consequently, it recommends adapting national policies to local realities, rather than the other way around.

Investing in training, research, and social innovation

A cross-cutting recommendation is to strengthen the sector’s adaptive capacity by focusing on skills and knowledge development. This entails both training (already detailed in the specific workstreams) and research. The report suggests institutionalizing a minimum level of funding dedicated to studies and research in the social sector (e.g., the 0.1% of the solidarity policy budget mentioned earlier).

Action research and participatory research should be encouraged to pilot new solutions by involving frontline practitioners and the individuals directly affected. Innovation in social work also requires breaking down silos between disciplines and sectors; the report calls for building bridges between research in social work, public health, environmental science, and other fields to tackle complex challenges head-on. The overarching goal is for social intervention to be recognized as a crucial social investment. And above all, strengthening cooperation and forward-looking governance !

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