Key Highlights
- Surrey County Council visited the wrong address before Sara Sharif’s murder.
- Sharif and Batool were sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering their 10-year-old daughter.
- A review found systemic failures in child protection services.
- The case highlights issues with home-schooling policies and data management.
Surrey County Council’s Failed Attempt to Protect a Child
In a damning report published on Thursday, Surrey County Council acknowledged its failure to safeguard 10-year-old Sara Sharif from her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool, who were found guilty of murdering their daughter in August 2023. The council’s visit to the wrong address just hours before the murder highlighted significant systemic failures within the child protection system.
According to the report, on 7 August 2023, Surrey County Council staff attempted a home visit as part of Sara’s homeschooling policy but mistakenly went to her previous address. This oversight ultimately contributed to the tragic outcome, as the review emphasized that Sara was killed the following day. The council acknowledged its “deeply sorry” for these findings and committed to implementing every recommendation in full.
Systemic Failures Exposed
The child safeguarding practice review detailed several critical failures within various organizations responsible for protecting children. One significant oversight involved the lack of inquiries by children’s services into Sharif’s history of domestic abuse, which was known to Surrey Police. The report stated that the system failed to keep Sara safe and highlighted the need for a more coherent home-schooling policy with adequate safeguards.
Further investigation revealed that around the time of the failed visit on 7 August 2023, Sara likely had “unbelievably severe physical injuries,” according to the review. Despite multiple red flags and opportunities for intervention, no further action was taken by the authorities until it was too late.
Legal Consequences and Future Changes
The case against Sharif and Batool at the Old Bailey in December 2024 resulted in life sentences with minimum terms of 40 years and 33 years, respectively. Additionally, Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik received a 16-year prison sentence for causing or allowing her death. The review concluded that there were clear points where different actions could have prevented the tragedy.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza emphasized the urgent need for change in child protection systems across agencies. They called on all relevant parties to learn from this preventable tragedy and work towards a more effective safeguarding framework to protect vulnerable children.
Impact on Child Protection Policies
The review highlighted significant gaps in current policies, particularly concerning the handling of home-educated children and the coordination between different agencies. Surrey County Council chief executive Terence Herbert acknowledged the systemic issues but noted that children’s services had made improvements in recent years. He stressed the council’s commitment to continuous improvement to ensure no child is left invisible.
While the report did not single out any one organization for blame, it underscored the importance of robust inter-agency cooperation and the need for more rigorous checks on all individuals with access to children’s welfare data. The findings will likely lead to comprehensive policy changes aimed at preventing future tragedies like Sara Sharif’s murder.
