What encourages care workers to continue working in intellectual disability services in England? Interview findings

Abstract

The article reports research aimed at identifying factors relating to retention in English intellectual disability services, drawing on a study of the social care workforce. The research involved two rounds of interviews with social care managers and staff between 2009 and 2014. The study uses social exchange theory, particularly the idea of ‘reciprocity’ and the mechanism of ‘hope’, as a conceptual framework to aid interpretation of the themes relating to retention identified in the interview analysis: ‘pay’, ‘support’, ‘morale’, and ‘training’ (related to reciprocity) and ‘improving quality of life’ and ‘supporting personal development’ (related to hope). Both groups of themes are identified as being particularly appropriate to intellectual disability services. The study concludes that reciprocity and hope seem to interact in factors related to staff retention, although the study suggests that reciprocity rather than hope is directly connected with retention.

Exploring the relative importance of factors that influence the job retention of social care staff working in intellectual disability services

“…As noted previously, Stevens et al (2019) highlight the value to staff of the relationship with the person they are supporting and the reward of feeling that they are contributing positively to that person's life. McConkey et al (2007) also found that the most attractive aspects of care work for men were the intrinsic rewards that came from direct work and the relationship with the service user.…”

Factors associated with positive work experience among professionals supporting people with intellectual disabilities: a comparative analysis of three welfare organisations in Sweden

“…This study suggests that issues of work satisfaction among professionals in intellectual disability services are certainly important, as they work with a vulnerable group of long-term service users that often have several professionals involved in their day-to-day life (Ekman and Halpern 2015, Ineland et al 2017, Stevens et al 2019. Work satisfaction is also one of the most important factors determining the quality of professional encounters with people with intellectual disabilities (Ineland et al 2017, Stevens et al 2019). As 'streetlevel-bureaucrats' (Lipsky 1980), these professionals are also expected to put into practice current disability ideology and to be a link between policy-makers and citizens.…”

“…This is explained by several factors, such as working with persons with challenging behaviours, inequality in the relationships between professionals and persons with intellectual disabilities, excessive workplace demands, low levels of control, and lack of practical support in performing work duties (see also Hatton et al 1999a;1999b, Chung and Harding 2009, Gray-Stanley and Muramatsu 2011, Thompson and Rose 2011, Lin and Lin 2013, Outar and Rose 2017. These findings are troublesome considering that work satisfaction has been identified as one of the most important factors determining the quality of professional encounters with people with intellectual disabilities (Ineland et al 2017, Stevens et al 2019.…”

The use of an implementation science theoretical framework to inform the development of a region wide Positive Behavioural Support Workforce Development approach

“…The difficulty in recruiting and retaining support staff, with the associated negative impact on quality and continuity of care (e.g. Stevens et al, 2019), represented a significant challenge. This was both to the success, at a strategic level, of the "Transforming Care" policy (NHS England, 2014) and to the implementation of a PBS approach at a regional level.…”