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An independent review into the tragic death of Sara Sharif has exposed numerous significant failings by various agencies prior to her murder in Surrey in 2023. Sara endured two harrowing years of abuse before her death, and the recent child safeguarding practice review highlights multiple missed opportunities by authorities to intervene. The report emphasizes that there were several decisive moments in Sara’s life—especially in the months leading up to her death—when different actions could and should have been taken to protect her. The review bluntly states, “The system failed to keep her safe.”
The Children’s Commissioner described the case as a “catalogue of missed opportunities, poor communication and ill-informed assumptions,” while the education secretary acknowledged “glaring failures” across all involved agencies. Authorities including Surrey Children’s Services, Surrey Police, and the Family Court were aware of domestic violence within Sara’s home even before she was born. The report’s authors characterized her father and stepmother as “a lethal combination.” It adds that, looking back, these individuals should never have been trusted with Sara’s care.
One of the critical failings identified is the lack of trust placed in social workers. Early in Sara’s life, Surrey County Council social workers recommended her removal from her parents to ensure her safety. However, later court proceedings saw this stance change. The social workers expressed deep frustration, feeling that their concerns were overshadowed by the children’s guardian’s opinions—the court-appointed expert tasked with representing Sara’s best interests. The review suggests that when social workers and children’s guardians disagree, these differences should be clearly communicated to judges for informed decision-making.
Another significant shortcoming involved the submission of a Section 7 report during custody proceedings. Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, had remarried and applied for custody, prompting an inexperienced social worker to draft the report. Unfortunately, the report lacked crucial information and thorough analysis, as Surrey Children’s Services had not fully reviewed their case files. Although the judge hearing the case had presided over earlier hearings, she was not reminded of important facts, such as Urfan Sharif’s history of domestic abuse and violence toward the children. Despite being mandated to complete a domestic abuse perpetrators program before unsupervised contact, he had not done so.
Additional failures included a rushed response to concerns raised by Sara’s school when they reported a significant bruise on her cheek in March 2023. The request for support was classified as “Amber,” entailing action within 24 hours. However, the social worker failed to check police information or engage with the school to investigate Sara’s behavior changes. Sara had s
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