A systematic review of risk and protective factors for teacher attrition and intent to leave the workforce in the Australian context

Existing research lacks clarity on why teachers choose to stay or leave their roles in Australia. This study synthesises the recent literature on teacher attrition behaviour and intent to leave the workplace in a unique Australian context, and contributes to the wider literature by proposing and expanding on an adjusted ecological systems framework for exploring teacher attrition more broadly. Twenty-nine quality studies from 2014 to 2024 that considered data on Australian teachers were reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Potentially contributing factors were identified and placed within our framework based on a consolidated Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems, with teachers and their history at the system centre. Results highlight ongoing empirical gaps and place school leadership as moderators of factors that impact teachers.