Direct-care staff stability in a national sample of small group homes.

In this national study of direct-care staff members working in 101 small (6 or fewer residents) community homes, we examined staff stability in terms of turnover, staff members' perceptions of turnover problems, and their intentions to remain a careprovider. The annual turnover rate for the facilities sampled was 57.0%. Staff members indicated that they planned to remain a care provider for an average of 5.4 years (SD = 5.9). One multiple regression analysis revealed two variables that accounted for 7% of the variability in facility turnover rates. Another multiple regression analysis revealed three employee and five employer variables that accounted for 53% of the variability in intended length of stay for individual staff members. The findings confirm the importance of individual staff member characteristics to staff members' stability.