The aim of the current study was to examine among educational staff members of residential children's homes to what extent task demands, job control, emotional and social support from colleagues and management as well as self-efficacy beliefs concerning coping with aggressive behaviour in youngsters are associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal accomplishment. The sample of 165 educational staff members answered questions on their burnout level, job demands, job control, emotional and social support and self-efficacy beliefs. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was applied. The results showed that job demands were significantly related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. The heavier staff perceived their job demands, the higher were the levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation experienced. In addition, it appeared that self-efficacy beliefs concerning coping with aggressive behaviour was significantly related to diminished personal accomplishment. The findings of the current study showed that Karasek and Theorell's 'job-demands, job control and social support'-model, as well as Bandura's self-efficacy theory may help in gaining a fairly plausible insight into the origin of burnout among this specific category of educators.