Call to end postcode lottery in children's social care after Sara Sharif tragedy
The Government has been urged to end the postcode lottery in children's social care after the tragic death of Sara Sharif.
Sara was just 10 years old when she was murdered in her own home by her father and stepmother in 2023, despite being known to social services her whole life.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Mohammed of Tinsley has tabled amendments to the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill that aim to give a 'basic level of protection' to every child.
The former youth worker told the House of Lords on Thursday: 'Every child, no matter where they live or what challenges they face, should be guaranteed a basic level of protection.'
One of his amendments, dubbed Sara's Law, would introduce national standards for accessing and receiving support through 'children in need plans' to help reduce regional variations in the type, frequency and duration of support provided.
A second amendment would establish the Child Protection Authority, a body that would work to improve child protection practices, advise Government and the sector, and conduct inspections.
Lord Mohammed told peers: 'Neither of these proposals are theoretical. Both are urgent responses to real-world system failures, failures that we have seen repeated with devastating consequences across our country…
'We cannot ignore the repeated failures of the current framework.
'The names of Sara Sharif, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson will remain etched in our nation's conscience for years to come.
'Each of these children were known to professionals. Each was failed by a system that saw the risk, but lacked the clarity, coordination and accountability to prevent harm.'
Section 17 of the Children's Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 'in need', those whose health or development would suffer without additional support.
However, thresholds are set at a local level, which results in a 'stark regional disparity', Lord Mohammed added.
He told peers: 'In the absence of a national threshold or quality standards, this power is deployed in a deeply inconsistent way…
'It creates a system in which access to help is determined, not by a child's vulnerability, but by their postcode.'
He added that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that existing child protection mechanisms are 'fragmented, inconsistent and insufficiently accountable'.
The former MEP concluded: 'This isn't about removing local flexibility levels, it's about setting a national baseline for protection so that a child's right to support is not dependent on what they have.'
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has declared her support for the national thresholds proposed by Lord Mohammed, a move that aligns with her own recommendations.
Dame Rachel said ahead of the debate: 'Sara Sharif died when she became invisible to local services.
'All the warning signs were missed – a history of domestic abuse, bruises on her body, being removed from school – because her circumstances did not warrant help or support from professionals in Surrey, despite having been known to the local authority since birth.
'As the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill returns to Parliament, I urge peers to support the proposed amendment to set national thresholds for triggering an assessment by social care, ending the postcode lottery in children's social care that is putting young lives at risk.
'I also urge them to take this opportunity to give children equal protection from assault, which Sara was cruelly denied.
'My own research shows alarming variation in how and when different areas step in to protect and support a vulnerable child – no child's safety should be determined by inconsistent local decisions.
'The time to act is now, and this amendment is a huge step forward in making sure no child slips through the net.'
Responding, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said: 'Prescriptive national criteria with automatic referrals would risk narrowing the cohort of children, actually limiting local flexibility in providing support.'
She said the existing legislation on providing services to children in need gave local authorities discretion.
Lady Smith added: 'A danger of being specific in the way suggested here is that groups are left out, narrowing the cohort who receive support, exactly in fact, what the amendment is seeking to avoid.'
The minister also insisted that there was national guidance to local areas on safeguarding children.
She added: 'This Government is absolutely committed to protecting children from significant harm, providing the right support at the right time, and ultimately improving outcomes so that all children can thrive.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Assisted dying law faces crunch Commons vote as MPs switch sides
Assisted dying could move a step closer to becoming law in England and Wales as Parliament prepares for a crunch vote on the issue. The outcome on Friday could see the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill either clear the House of Commons and move to the Lords, or fall completely. The relatively narrow majority of 55 from the historic yes vote in November means every vote will count on Friday. As an example, the Bill would fall if 28 MPs switched directly from voting yes to no, but only if all other MPs voted exactly the same way as they did in November, including those who abstained. In what will be seen as a blow to the Bill, four Labour MPs confirmed on the eve of the vote that they will switch sides to oppose the proposed new law. Labour's Paul Foster, Jonathan Hinder, Markus Campbell-Savours and Kanishka Narayan wrote to fellow MPs to voice concerns about the safety of the proposed legislation. They branded it 'drastically weakened', citing the scrapping of the High Court Judge safeguard as a key reason. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also urged her MPs to vote against the legislation, describing it as 'a bad Bill' despite being 'previously supportive of assisted suicide'. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. Bill sponsor Kim Leadbeater has insisted the replacement of High Court judge approval with the multidisciplinary panels is a strengthening of the legislation, incorporating wider expert knowledge to assess assisted dying applications. Ahead of confirmation of the four vote-switchers, Ms Leadbeater acknowledged she expected 'some small movement in the middle' but that she did not 'anticipate that that majority would be heavily eroded'. She insisted her Bill is 'the most robust piece of legislation in the world' and has argued dying people must be given choice at the end of their lives in a conversation which has seen support from high-profile figures including Dame Esther Rantzen. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill, meaning they decide according to their conscience rather than along party lines. Ms Leadbeater has warned it could be a decade before assisted dying legislation returns to Parliament if MPs vote to reject her Bill on Friday. A YouGov poll of 2,003 adults in Great Britain, surveyed last month and published on Thursday, suggested public support for the Bill remains high at 73% – unchanged from November. The proportion of people who feel assisted dying should be legal in principle has risen slightly, to 75% from 73% in November.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft quits as government whip over cuts to disability benefits
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft has quit her job as a government whip in opposition to the government's plans to cut disability benefits. She wrote in a letter to the prime minister that she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances". The former shadow minister for disabled people becomes the first MP to quit a government job over the controversial welfare reform plans that have seen over 100 Labour MPs publicly express concern over the proposals. A government spokesperson defended the reforms as "principled" and insisted they will protect the vulnerable. Politics latest: The MP for Lewisham North wrote that the benefits system is in "desperate need of reform", but argued this is not the way to do it. She said: "I absolutely understand the need to address the ever-increasing welfare bill in these difficult economic times, but I have always believed this could and should be done by supporting more disabled people into work. "I do not believe that cuts to personal independence payment (PIP) and the health element of Universal Credit should be part of the solution." Ms Foxcroft said she has "wrestled" with the decision over whether to resign, but said: "Sadly it now seems that we are not going to get the changes I desperately wanted to see. "I therefore tender my resignation as I know I will not be able to do the job that is required of me and whip - or indeed vote - for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances." She has received public support from a number of fellow Labour MPs, who praised her "principled" stand on this issue. 'Moral case for change' The government published its bill earlier this week to tighten the eligibility for PIP benefits, and also cuts to the sickness-related portion of Universal Credit. Ministers say these plans will cut £5bn from the welfare budget that is ballooning. The cost of long-term sickness and disability benefits for working-age people has risen by £20bn since the pandemic and is forecast to hit £70bn over the next five years. Ministers have said there is also a moral case for change, with one in eight young people not in education, training, or employment - prompting fears of a "wasted generation". But disability groups say they fear an increase in suicides and mental health conditions. Read more from Sky News:Why cancer patient is praying assisted dying bill passes major voteCompensation scheme for Capture victims announced The government's own assessment forecast an extra 250,000 people could be pushed into poverty - including 50,000 children. It did not include the impact of people moving into work. A government spokesperson said: "This Labour government was elected to deliver change. The broken welfare system we inherited is failing the sick and most vulnerable and holding too many young people back. It is fair and responsible to fix it. "Our principled reforms will ensure those who can work should, that those who want to work are properly supported, and that those with most severe disabilities and health conditions are protected."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major sporting events and grassroots sport to receive £900 million funding
More than £900 million will be committed to major sporting events and grassroots sport across the UK in a 'transformational investment' over the coming years, the Government has announced. Euro 2028, the European Athletics Championships next year and the men's and women's Tour de France Grand Departs in 2027 are among the key events set to be hosted in the country that will benefit from more than half a billion pounds in funding. At least £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities nationwide after the funding was outlined in last week's Spending Review, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said. England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will be co-hosting Euro 2028, with the showpiece men's football tournament expected to generate up to £2.4 billion in socio-economic value alone, the DCMS said. Other major events scheduled to be held in the UK include the women's Rugby World Cup in England this summer, the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Invictus Games, founded by the Duke of Sussex, in Birmingham in 2027. Earlier this month, more than 100 athletes called on the Prime Minister to support a London bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. But the Government is yet to commit to the bid, but has not ruled it our either, with a spokesperson saying it was working with UK Sport to secure a series of major sporting events up until 2035. However, the DCMS confirmed that work was continuing to develop a bid for the UK to host the women's Fifa World Cup in 2035. Sporting bodies and local leaders for grassroots initiatives will work closely with the department to establish what each community needs before further plans are laid out. It said the investment will not only help create jobs and boost regional prosperity, but would also reduce barriers to opportunity and 'bring communities together through shared national moments'. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Sport tells our national story in a way few other things can, uniting communities, inspiring millions, and showcasing our nation on the global stage. 'This major backing for world-class events will drive economic growth across the country, delivering on our plan for change. 'Coupled with strong investment into grassroots sport, we're creating a complete pathway to allow the next generation of sporting heroes to train and take part in sport in communities across the UK.' The announcement comes after Ms Nandy previously pledged £100 million to upgrade sports facilities across the UK, including new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights, back in March. Nick Webborn, chairman of UK Sport, praised the new funding as having 'huge potential to drive economic growth, bring people together and inspire the next generation'. He said: 'We believe that live sport is a fundamental part of this country's social fabric. 'We are really excited to be working with the Government and support their commitment to secure the pipeline of big events beyond 2028 to ensure we can continue to reach, inspire and unite people in every corner of the country.' Stuart Andrew, the Conservative shadow culture secretary, said: 'Funding for major sporting events and grassroots sport is welcome – but the spending review was no boon for British sports. 'Rachel Reeves' tax hikes are forcing schools to sell playing fields and driving up business rates for stadiums. 'At the same time, Labour have scrapped the Opening Schools Facilities fund and the National Citizen Service – depriving young people of sporting opportunities. 'Labour must recognise that their economic mismanagement is dealing a devasting blow to the sports sector.'
