What type of workforce and how many staff will the social care sector need based on the demand for services and the needs of service users in the short, medium and long term?

Background

The social care sector is a major employer in Scotland and the number of people employed in adult social care has increased over the past decade. Population projections suggest that Scotland is likely to have more older people and fewer younger people in the coming years, which has implications for the future supply of, and demand for, adult social care. The social care workforce is critical to the delivery of high quality, person-centred and sustainable care in Scotland but there are significant challenges facing the sector.

Next steps

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Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Social Care Analytical Unit Areas of Research Interest 2026 2029 published 25 March 2026

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