Latest news with #SaraSharif
Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
We are in danger of going backwards on child protection
The roll call of vulnerable children who have lost their lives as a result of serious failures in child protection is a long and shameful one. It includes Sara Sharif, ten, murdered by her father and stepmother; six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, murdered by his father and father's partner; and toddler Star Hobson, who endured months of abuse at the hands of her mother and her mother's partner. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, being debated in the House of Lords, is an attempt to prevent such appalling cases from recurring. It contains some broad but welcome thinking about empowering those who work with children, including teachers, to break the cycle of late intervention, a repeated failing identified in child neglect cases. Welcome too is the pilot
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council's 'long journey' to good Ofsted rating
Surrey County Council has turned around previous "inadequate" Ofsted ratings to secure a "good" label for its children's services. An inspection of the authority's children's services was carried out in March and the report published on Friday. The county council has been working to turn around the "requires improvement" rating it was given in 2022, following "inadequate" ratings in 2015 and 2018. Clare Curran, cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning, told BBC Radio Surrey the rating was testament to staff who had worked "tirelessly, relentlessly" to improve the service. She added: "It has taken some time and it has been a long journey." All areas were rated "good", including the overall effectiveness judgement. Previously, a member of Surrey County Council asked whether there should be resignations at the authority following mistakes made over Sara Sharif. The 10-year-old was found dead at her home in Woking in August 2023, after suffering a series of injuries following years of abuse at the hands of her father and stepmother. Curran said Ofsted's latest inspection was a "really thorough process" which "extensively scrutinised" the council's safeguarding practice and children's social care service. She said although the inspection report made "numerous references to good practice in the area of safeguarding", the council was "playing an absolutely full and active part" in the independent safeguarding practice review that was ongoing into Sara's death. Curran added: "Sara's death was incredibly distressing, very sad and our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to all those who knew and loved her." The report said most children and families in Surrey now received the help, protection and care that they needed. "Services have improved substantially since the last inspection in 2022, when they required improvement," inspectors said. "These improvements to practice have been achieved through skilled leadership, strong political and corporate support, and well-trained and committed staff." Areas for improvements related to the number of care leavers in education, training and employment, and equity of experiences for them regarding housing. Asked about the council's provision for children with additional needs, which did not form part of the latest Ofsted inspection but has been previously criticised, Curran said the council was "resolute" on its ambition to improve. She said the Ofsted report showed SCC had "capacity to transform and improve services" and was undergoing the same process of improvement for children with additional needs. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Sara Sharif family court judges named after appeal Questions must be answered over Sara murder, PM says Future of Sara Sharif social workers under scrutiny Council apologises to families over SEND provision More than 1,800 children with SEN missing school SEND children face complex care system - report Surrey County Council Ofsted
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Surrey County Council's 'long journey' to good Ofsted rating
Surrey County Council has turned around previous "inadequate" Ofsted ratings to secure a "good" label for its children's inspection of the authority's children's services was carried out in March and the report published on county council has been working to turn around the "requires improvement" rating it was given in 2022, following "inadequate" ratings in 2015 and Curran, cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning, told BBC Radio Surrey the rating was testament to staff who had worked "tirelessly, relentlessly" to improve the service. She added: "It has taken some time and it has been a long journey."All areas were rated "good", including the overall effectiveness a member of Surrey County Council asked whether there should be resignations at the authority following mistakes made over Sara 10-year-old was found dead at her home in Woking in August 2023, after suffering a series of injuries following years of abuse at the hands of her father and said Ofsted's latest inspection was a "really thorough process" which "extensively scrutinised" the council's safeguarding practice and children's social care said although the inspection report made "numerous references to good practice in the area of safeguarding", the council was "playing an absolutely full and active part" in the independent safeguarding practice review that was ongoing into Sara's added: "Sara's death was incredibly distressing, very sad and our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to all those who knew and loved her." 'Services have improved substantially' The report said most children and families in Surrey now received the help, protection and care that they needed. "Services have improved substantially since the last inspection in 2022, when they required improvement," inspectors said."These improvements to practice have been achieved through skilled leadership, strong political and corporate support, and well-trained and committed staff."Areas for improvements related to the number of care leavers in education, training and employment, and equity of experiences for them regarding about the council's provision for children with additional needs, which did not form part of the latest Ofsted inspection but has been previously criticised, Curran said the council was "resolute" on its ambition to said the Ofsted report showed SCC had "capacity to transform and improve services" and was undergoing the same process of improvement for children with additional needs.
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
UK's children's commissioners want smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy. They say the current situation with a legal defence in some home nations is 'outdated and morally repugnant'. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy Credit: PA 2 Sara was murdered by her father Urfan Sharif and stepmoher Beinash Batool Credit: AFP Wales made all corporal punishment, including smacking and shaking, illegal in 2022. Scotland introduced a similar ban in 2020. But it is not totally outlawed in England and Northern Ireland. The Children Act 2004 says it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is 'reasonable punishment', and this is judged case-by-case. Sara's murder in 2023 in Woking, Surrey, led to renewed calls for a UK-wide ban. He father Urfan told police he did 'legally punish' her and beat her 'too much'. He and Sara's stepmum Beinash Batool were jailed for life. Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said: 'Let this be Sara's legacy, that all children in the United Kingdom are given the same protection as anyone else.' The commissioners of all four UK home nations made their pleas as the Children's Well-being and Schools Bill was yesterday set for its second reading in the Lords.
The Irish Sun
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
UK's children's commissioners want smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy
THE UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy. They say the current situation with a legal defence in some home nations is 'outdated and morally repugnant'. Advertisement 2 The UK's children's commissioners want a wholesale smacking ban as murdered ten-year-old Sara Sharif's legacy Credit: PA 2 Sara was murdered by her father Urfan Sharif and stepmoher Beinash Batool Credit: AFP Wales made all corporal punishment, including smacking and shaking, illegal in 2022. Scotland introduced a similar ban in 2020. But it is not totally outlawed in England and Northern Ireland . The Children Act 2004 says it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is 'reasonable punishment', and this is judged case-by-case. Advertisement READ MORE UK NEWS He father Urfan told police he Children's Commissioner for England The commissioners of all four UK home nations made their pleas as the Children's Well-being and Schools Bill was yesterday set for its second reading in the Lords. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Sara Sharif's mum lays flowers at house where daughter was 'murdered' - hours after cops' probe suffered shocking blow
