Sara Sharif's death not a one-off tragedy, MP warns

The murder of Sara Sharif was "not a one-off tragedy" and was the consequence of children's services being "hollowed out", an MP has warned.

Woking MP Will Forster claimed in a Westminster Hall debate that Surrey County Council was "failing children left, right and centre" in the wake of 10-year-old's murder in 2023.

He also criticised an £8,700 pay rise given to the council's executive director for children services after the girl's death as a "reward for failure".

Tim Oliver, leader of Surrey County Council (SCC) said children's services in the county were rated as good by Ofsted and the authority was "absolutely determined to keep making improvements that can help keep children safe".

He said: "Although we accept that improvements have been required in some areas, the broad comments made today characterise the county unfairly, and without context.

"We welcome challenge and scrutiny, but we must not politicise this devastating tragedy.

"We must work together constructively to ensure we continue to improve and support children and families, both locally and nationally."

Oliver said an independent children services expert was undertaking a review of children's safeguarding practice, including the culture within the SCC safeguarding teams.

Speaking in the debate, Forster said: "Sara's death was not a one-off tragedy, it was the most extreme and horrific consequence of children's services being hollowed out, fragmented and weakened over years.

"Surrey County Council are failing children left, right and centre."

He added: "It [the pay rise] sends a message that failure carries no consequences; in fact, it is a reward for failure."

Sara's father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, were jailed for life in December 2024 for killing her in their Woking home on 8 August 2023.

A post-mortem examination found that she had suffered dozens of injuries including human bite marks, an iron burn and scalding from hot water.

An inquest into her death will take place in August 2027.

A review previously found that Surrey County Council attempted to check on Sara the day before she was murdered but visited the wrong house.

Services also failed to identify that Sara was at risk of abuse and did not question unexplained bruising, the review found.

The local authority has apologised and said it had taken "robust action" in response to the review.

Speaking in the debate, Department for Education minister Josh MacAlister OBE said that he would write to Forster "setting out the government's full range of actions" on improving children's services in local authorities.

He added: "We are trying to legislate for and resource a system that needs to act decisively when there is significant harm, but also support families where there isn't significant harm, but there are concerns."

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