Understanding Intention to Leave: A Comparison of Urban, Small-Town, and Rural Child Welfare Workers

This study compared the influence of personal and organizational factors on intention to leave among 2,903 public child protection caseworkers and supervisors residing in urban, small-town, and rural counties in Texas. Although geographical location was not found to be a predictor of intention to leave, underlying factors that may influence and explain the differences between urban, small-town, and rural employees’ intention to leave were identified. Workers residing in urban areas were more likely to have a master's degree and be members of a racial/ethnic minority group, while workers in small-town counties were older and had longer tenure at the agency.