Improving recruitment and retention in learning disability services

Nurses are increasingly becoming involved in the support of people with learning disabilities in social care settings. Recent policies have identified the need for an increased social care workforce, but many organisations have difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. Our review of the evidence found that many factors influence recruitment and retention directly and indirectly, including: gender and age; factors that contribute to staff stress and burnout; and organisational factors, such as supervision, training and culture. We suggest several areas that should be evaluated to inform an evidence-based approach to increasing the workforce that provides care for people who have an intellectual disability.