Background Determining the relative importance of variables including client characteristics, setting features, staffing and care practices on the lives of people with learning disabilities in residential care continues to be a relevant topic for research.Methods Measurements were made of the adaptive and problem behaviour of 343 adults with intellectual disabilities living in 76 residential homes and of various aspects of staffing, care practices (extent of active support) and resident engagement in meaningful activity. Ordinal and logistic regression was used to identify variables best predicting engagement and care practices.Results Only adaptive behaviour and care practices predicted resident engagement in meaningful activity; only age and adaptive behaviour predicted care practices.Conclusions Given the limited scope for changing resident adaptive behaviour, attention should be given to improve active support in residential homes in order to promote greater engagement in meaningful activity by people with learning disabilities.