The event brought together a cross-section of professionals and individuals from within the autism community who are involved in delivering the goals set out in the Scottish Strategy for Autism. The key objective of the day was to explore different ways of tackling and breaking down what is a large and complex project involving many different stakeholders to ensure that the operational challenges of doing so do not in themselves become barriers to success.

It was Professor Sparrow’s thinking, set out in his book The Character of Harms: Operational Challenges in Control, which offered a fresh perspective on how to approach the challenges faced in structuring services and meeting the needs of the autism community in Scotland. The concepts Professor Sparrow explores in The Character of Harms have been received and implemented to great effect by a range of bodies all over the world who have responsibilities for tackling large public problems or societal ills such as crime, poverty, pollution and corruption etc. 

Alan Somerville, Chief Executive of Scottish Autism, explains: “Following last year’s launch by the Scottish Government of the Scottish Strategy for Autism, excellent progress has been made toward initial two year goals with working groups established to examine all the recommendations. In addition to this, we must also begin to look at how we deliver some of the longer term, five and ten year goals.

“It was a privilege to have someone with Professor Sparrow’s pedigree help us to view the challenges we face in a new light and open us up to new ways of thinking in terms of how we define and approach the issues set out in the strategy. By taking the time to consider once again the big picture and then how we break it down into manageable tasks, I am hopeful that as a group we have come away with fresh resolve and a few more tools to help us achieve our ambitions in supporting the ASD community in Scotland.”

Learn more about Professor Sparrow and his book The Character of Harms.