Sara Sharif: Surrey County Council ‘deeply sorry’ after review uncovers failings

Surrey County Council has issued a formal apology after a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review (LCSPR) found that agencies failed to protect 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was murdered by her father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, in August 2023 following two years of escalating abuse.

The review, commissioned by the Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership and published after criminal proceedings concluded in December 2024, identifies a series of missed opportunities, flawed decisions and systemic weaknesses across children’s social care, police, health and education services. It concludes that “the system failed to keep her safe”.

Sara had been known to the Family Court, Surrey Children’s Services and the police throughout her life. Bruising was first recorded in June 2022. In March 2023, staff at her primary school raised concerns after spotting three facial bruises – including one the size of a “golf ball” – and noting she had become withdrawn and was pulling her hijab down over her face. Despite the school’s referral being graded amber, children’s services did not check police records, which documented Sharif’s history of domestic abuse, nor contact the school for further information. Instead, social workers accepted Sharif’s false account that the marks were linked to her birth.

The review highlights that practitioners did not adequately explore why Sara had recently begun wearing a hijab. A newly qualified occupational therapist chose not to question it, fearing she might cause offence. It later emerged that Sara used it to conceal injuries. Neighbours also reported hesitating to raise concerns because they feared being seen as racist.

In April 2023 Sharif withdrew Sara from school to home educate her. From that point, the review says, she “effectively disappeared”. When the council attempted a statutory home visit on 7 August 2023, staff went to the wrong address due to an administrative failure. Although the mistake was realised later that day, a decision was made to wait until September before attempting another visit. Sara was murdered the following day. The review notes that she was likely suffering severe injuries at the time of the missed visit.

Independent reviewers found that professionals gave too much credence to Sharif’s explanations, failed to challenge repeated inconsistencies and underestimated the seriousness of his domestic abuse history.

Surrey County Council chief executive, Terence Herbert, said the findings were “absolutely devastating” and offered a “sincere apology” for the authority’s failings. He said significant reforms had been made since 2023, particularly within the Children’s Single Point of Access and elective home education teams, with all recommendations to be implemented in full. Council leader Tim Oliver added: “Whilst there are no guarantees any single change could have prevented this tragic outcome, there are a number of important recommendations for many different agencies that, if fully implemented, can help improve child protection.”

National leaders echoed the urgency. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson called Sara’s death “an appalling tragedy”, adding that the review “rightly highlights the glaring failures and missed opportunities across all agencies”. Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Change is urgent – we are now more than two years on from Sara’s preventable murder and children are still dying.”

Surrey Police described the case as among the most shocking in its history and pledged full commitment to implementing the report’s findings.

Sara’s father and stepmother were convicted of murder in December 2024, receiving minimum terms of 40 and 33 years respectively. Her uncle, Faisal Malik, was sentenced to 16 years for causing or allowing her death.

The review stresses that Sara’s legacy must be a strengthened safeguarding system – particularly around elective home education, interagency information-sharing and professional curiosity – to ensure that no child at risk becomes invisible to the services intended to protect them.