Sara Sharif: Starmer demands safeguards for home-schooled children

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (12) called for better safeguards for home-schooled children and said there were "questions that need to be answered" after the brutal murder of a 10-year-old girl.

Sara Sharif's father and step-mother were convicted of murder on Wednesday (11) in a trial that revealed gruesome details of the abuse inflicted on her, and the failure of child protection services to intervene despite warning signs.

Months before her death, her father Urfan Sharif had taken her out of school to be taught at home, after Sara's teacher reported her bruises to child services.

At the time, child services had probed the incident but did not take any action.

Starmer said the "awful" case was "about making sure that (there are) protecting safeguards for children, particularly those being home-schooled".

The Department for Education said it was "already taking action to make sure no child falls through the cracks" and "bringing in greater safeguards for children in home education".

The government plans to "make sure that schools and teachers are involved in safeguarding decisions", a Downing Street spokesperson said, adding that details would be included in upcoming legislation.

Parents will also need local authority consent for home-schooling at-risk children under the proposed changes, and a register of children who are not in school will be drawn up.

Sara was found dead in her home in August 2023, with extensive injuries including broken bones, burns and even bite marks after being subjected to years of abuse.

Sara was discovered dead in her bunkbed on 10 August 2023. Sara was discovered dead in her bunkbed on 10 August 2023.

She had also been in and out of foster care after Sharif separated from her mother, Olga Sharif, to marry the step-mother Beinash Batool.

Despite previous allegations of abusive behaviour against the father made by Olga, Sharif won custody of Sara in 2019, just four years before she was killed.

Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons, expressed the government's shock and commitment to child safety during a parliamentary statement on Thursday.

Powell indicated that stronger safeguards for home-educated children would be detailed imminently, stressing that protecting children remains a top priority. She described the emerging details of Sara's murder as deeply disturbing, with the government pledging to reform children's social care.

Meanwhile, Will Forster MP called for a comprehensive investigation into Sara's death, highlighting the need to examine every aspect of her care. He stressed the importance of an inquest that would scrutinise potential systemic failures, including concerns about cultural sensitivities potentially preventing teachers from raising questions about her welfare.

Forster argued that Sara's removal from school after being seen with bruises must be carefully examined to prevent similar systemic abuse. He described the abuse Sara suffered as "heartbreaking and vile" and added that while justice has been served, preventing such tragedies in the future is crucial.

Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza said Sara's death highlighted "profound weaknesses in our child protection system".

De Souza said it was "madness" that an at-risk child could be taken out of school, calling for a ban on home-schooling of suspected abuse victims.

According to a child safeguarding report published on Thursday, 485 children in England died or were seriously harmed by abuse or neglect in the year to April 2024.

Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Sara's uncle Faisal Malik, who was cleared of murder but convicted of causing or allowing her death, are due to be sentenced on Tuesday (17).

(with inputs from AFP)