When the details of Sara Sharif’s tragic death emerged in 2023, the nation was left shocked and searching for answers. Now, an independent review published on November 13, 2025, has laid bare a series of devastating failures by multiple agencies—revelations that have reignited debate about how Britain protects its most vulnerable children. The review, commissioned after Sara’s murder in Woking, Surrey, paints a picture of systemic breakdowns, missed opportunities, and communication gaps that spanned years, ultimately allowing two years of abuse to go unchecked.
The review’s findings are damning. According to BBC reporting, the authors concluded, “The system failed to keep her safe.” The report points to “several points in Sara’s life, in particular during the last few months, where different actions could and should have been taken” by authorities. In the words of the Children’s Commissioner, it was a “catalogue of missed opportunities, poor communication and ill-informed assumptions.” The Education Secretary called the case “the glaring failures” across all agencies involved.
This tragedy did not unfold in a vacuum. From before Sara was born, Surrey Children’s Services, Surrey Police, and the Family Court were aware of domestic violence in her home. Despite this, the system failed to intervene decisively when it mattered most. Early in Sara’s life, social workers from Surrey County Council advocated for her removal from her parents for her own safety. Yet, after initial court hearings, the plan changed. Social workers later described feeling “very frustrated” that their voices were not heard in court, with the views of the children’s guardian—an expert appointed to represent the child’s best interests—taking precedence. The review criticized this dynamic, suggesting that when children’s guardians and local authority social workers disagree, their differing opinions should be clearly summarized for the judge, rather than one being sidelined.
The problems didn’t end there. When Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, remarried and applied for custody, the court relied on a Section 7 report produced by an inexperienced social worker. This report, the review found, was missing “vital information and analysis” because the files held by Surrey Children’s Services were not thoroughly reviewed. By sheer coincidence, the judge, Alison Raeside, had presided over earlier hearings involving the family, but she was not reminded of key facts—most notably, Urfan Sharif’s history of domestic abuse and violence towards children. He had previously been ordered to complete a domestic abuse perpetrators programme before having unsupervised contact with Sara, but he had not done so. Still, the system allowed him to regain custody.
In March 2023, another chance to intervene slipped away. Sara’s school reported that she had a golf ball-sized bruise on her cheek. The case was graded “Amber,” meaning it required action within 24 hours. Yet, the social worker assigned did not check police records on the family or speak to the school to learn more about Sara’s noticeable change in demeanor. Once a bubbly child who loved singing, Sara had become “quiet and coy.” When questioned, Urfan Sharif dismissed the bruises as marks from medical equipment used when Sara was born prematurely—a claim that was untrue. The outcome? “No social work action.” Five months later, Sara was dead.
Administrative errors compounded the tragedy. In August 2023, Urfan Sharif withdrew his daughter from school, and due to a clerical mistake, Surrey County Council’s records still listed the family’s old address. The school had informed the council of the new address, and both properties were owned by the council itself. However, when the home education team attempted a welfare check on August 7, 2023, they went to the wrong house. Sara, who had already suffered torture, beatings, and burns, was murdered the next day by her father and stepmother, Beinash Batool. Both were later sentenced to life imprisonment.
“It is devastating that the information was incorrectly inputted,” Surrey County Council acknowledged in response to the review. This single error meant that Sara, who had effectively disappeared from view, was left unprotected in her final days.
Social factors also played a role. The review highlighted that neighbors sometimes overheard troubling sounds from the Sharif home but hesitated to report their concerns. Their reluctance stemmed from fears of being labeled racist, especially on social media. Sara began wearing a hijab at age eight in 2021, after a visit to her paternal grandparents in Pakistan. While her school initially showed “appropriate curiosity” about this change, they accepted the family’s explanation that it was due to Sara’s interest in Pakistani culture. Tragically, in the months before her death, the hijab concealed bruises and injuries on her face and head, further shielding the abuse from view.
The Sara Sharif case isn’t the only child protection crisis to make headlines this week. On November 13, 2025, Dorset Police announced an investigation into alleged sexual abuse at the former Old Malthouse School during the 1970s. The inquiry, as reported by BBC, was sparked by allegations brought to light in a recent TV documentary. Devon and Cornwall Police also acknowledged allegations of historical abuse at Truro School, though, as of publication, they had not received direct reports from victims. Both police forces are now working together, and with Truro School, to ensure a thorough investigation.
Truro School’s headteacher, Andy Johnson, wrote to parents, stating, “Any allegation of historic abuse that is made or alerted to us is taken extremely seriously.” Devon and Cornwall Police echoed this sentiment, emphasizing their commitment to working with both the school and Dorset Police regarding the allegations.
The convergence of these cases—the murder of Sara Sharif and the historic abuse allegations at two schools—has raised urgent questions about the effectiveness of Britain’s child safeguarding systems. How many more missed opportunities, communication breakdowns, and administrative errors must occur before meaningful change is enacted? The reviews and investigations now underway promise accountability, but for families affected by these tragedies, the wounds remain raw.
At the heart of these stories are children whose voices were too often overlooked, their suffering hidden in plain sight. As the country reckons with the findings of the Sara Sharif review and the ongoing police investigations, one thing is painfully clear: vigilance, transparency, and decisive action are not just bureaucratic ideals—they are matters of life and death.
