Changes must be made to safeguard our children; Sara Sharif report finds
Sara was murdered in her own home by her father and stepmother in 2023
Last updated 13th Nov 2025
An independent report into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has been published.
Sara was murdered in her own home by her father and stepmother in 2023, despite being known to social services her whole life.
Today, the Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership have released a review into the factors that contributed to her death, and what could've have been done to stop it.
Surrey Police, who initially investigated Sara's death and worked to convict various members of her family, have reacted to the findings of the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review (LCSPR) report.
Assistant Chief Constable Tanya Jones said: “The abuse and murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif by members of her own family is one of the most shocking and tragic cases we have ever investigated.
"No child should ever have to suffer what Sara did at the hands of those who should have shown her only love, and an extensive police investigation was carried out to ensure her father, stepmother and uncle were convicted for their crimes.
“The findings within the report are clear, and we will work with the partnership to help implement its recommendations and safeguard our children and young people as effectively as possible.”
In a statement accompanying the report, Surrey County Council expressed deep regret for the findings that relate to its role and pledged to implement all recommendations in full.
Terence Herbert, Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, said: “Sara’s death is absolutely devastating, and we share our sincere condolences with all those affected. We are deeply sorry for the findings in the report related to us as a local authority. Robust action has already been taken to address these, and that work will continue until every recommendation is implemented in full.”
He added that while no single organisation was solely to blame, the report highlighted “important lessons for many agencies” to help reduce risks to vulnerable children.
Council Leader Tim Oliver called the murder “a horrific and incredibly sad situation” and urged all safeguarding professionals to learn from the findings.
“This was the direct result of adults murdering an innocent child they should have cared for,” he said. “Every person in every organisation involved in child safeguarding must read this report and understand the lessons learnt.”
Since 2023, the council says it has made significant changes to key services, including its Children’s Single Point of Access (C-SPA) and Elective Home Education (EHE) systems.
“There are no guarantees any single change could have prevented this tragic outcome,” said Mr Oliver, “but if we fully implement these recommendations, we can make a real difference in preventing future harm to children.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Sara Sharif’s death was an appalling tragedy that could – and should - have been avoided.
"The review rightly highlights the glaring failures and missed opportunities across all agencies which led to Sara’s death - we will take every step to help make sure that no child is left invisible to the services that are there to keep them safe.
“We are investing £2 billion into the Families First Partnership programme, supporting local areas to set up multi-agency child protection teams to take expert, decisive action when children are at risk of significant harm."
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Today I’m thinking about all those who loved and cared about Sara. This review rightly recognises our collective outrage – and that it must never happen again.
“It is a catalogue of missed opportunities, poor communication and ill-informed assumptions, confirming what we always suspected: that the information needed to save Sara was available to the professionals tasked with her protection, but every part of the system lacked the curiosity to piece it together or ask tough questions, relying on the easy lies of her father and stepmother, at whose hands she died.
“Though nothing will bring Sara back or make up for the loss of her vibrant childhood, I welcome these recommendations. We already know what needs to happen: our fragmented children’s services need desperate reform, focused on prioritising resource, transformed information sharing and proper, professional accountability. But recommendations are nothing without action and implementation."