Lisa Coulter from Bangor, who studied Social Policy with Criminology at the University of Ulster, came first with her project on respite provision. Her investigation into care provision concluded that while carers provide a dedicated service, they make huge personal sacrifices and often experience high levels of pressure, stress and exhaustion.
"Not only does this work often go unnoticed, but there are also examples of inadequate support being provided by the statutory sector and unhelpful interventions by some professionals," she explained.
"While acknowledging the good work that is being done and the benefits derived by current users of respite services, my study highlights the need for Health Trusts to revisit the issue of carer support, both in terms of the scale, reach and quality of services."
The Science Shop is a community research resource, which allows students from a variety of disciplines at the University of Ulster to work in conjunction with community and voluntary groups throughout Northern Ireland. Each year awards are given to outstanding students for their contribution to projects involving their chosen partnerships. Carers Northern Ireland was delighted to give its support to this worthwhile research and we wish Lisa every success in her career.
