- 2 hours ago
Woking MP Will Forster has called for Surrey County Council’s children’s services to be placed into special measures during a parliamentary debate on child protection.
Mr Forster told MPs that serious systemic failures by the authority contributed to the murder of Sara Sharif, describing the case as “the most extreme and horrific consequence of children’s services being hollowed out, fragmented and weakened over the years”.
He said Sara’s killers “deserve a special place in hell”, but stressed her death was “not a one-off tragedy”.
Mr Forster told MPs that serious systemic failures by the authority contributed to the murder of Sara Sharif, describing the case as “the most extreme and horrific consequence of children’s services being hollowed out, fragmented and weakened over the years”.
He said Sara’s killers “deserve a special place in hell”, but stressed her death was “not a one-off tragedy”.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you Mr Weston. I called this
00:05debate because of a 10 year old
00:07constituent who was abused
00:10tortured and murdered by those who
00:11should have loved and protected her.
00:13Her name was Zara.
00:15She was found dead in the early hours
00:17of August the 10th, 2023.
00:20Her body was covered in bruises.
00:23She had a traumatic head injury.
00:25Human bite marks.
00:28Multiple broken bones.
00:30And she was burnt by domestic iron.
00:33Next to Zara's body.
00:35The police found plastic bags,
00:38packing tape and a cricket bat.
00:40All with Zara's blood on them.
00:43The people who did this to Zara
00:45deserve a special place in hell.
00:50Zara's death was not a one-off tragedy.
00:52It was the most extreme
00:53and horrific consequence.
00:55of children's services being hollowed out,
00:59being fragmented.
01:00and weakened over years.
01:03Surrey County Council
01:05are failing children
01:06left, right and centre.
01:10Another example
01:12is what happened
01:13to my constituent, Julia.
01:15Her and husband
01:16pleaded with Surrey County Council
01:18for help.
01:20with their daughter Eloise
01:21who had special educational needs.
01:24Surrey ignored...
01:25ignored those police
01:25refused to give her
01:27SEM support.
01:28But eventually...
01:30they took the parents to court
01:31because they were concerned
01:33the parents were safeguarding...
01:35risk against the daughter.
01:37The court saw through this
01:38and sided with...
01:40with the parents
01:40and the court said
01:42that it was Surrey's
01:43lack of support
01:44for special education...
01:45educational needs
01:45that was failing the child
01:47not the parents
01:48failing the child.
01:50appallingly,
01:51Surrey tried to cover up
01:53their problems.
01:55with special educational needs
01:56provision
01:56and push it
01:59onto a safeguard.
02:00failure.
02:01Next, there is another
02:02one of my working constituents,
02:04Judith.
02:05She was breaking up
02:06with her partner
02:07following many instances
02:08of domestic and child abuse.
02:10She feared for her children's safety
02:12if they continue to...
02:15see their father.
02:16On advice of Surrey County Council,
02:18the Family Corps...
02:20gave the father
02:20visitation rights.
02:23Heartbreaking abuse followed.
02:25The court then took away
02:26the father's rights
02:27to see the children.
02:30This is why we need
02:31to end the presumption
02:32in favour
02:33of parental contact.
02:35Abusers should not
02:36care for their children.
02:39Surrey...
02:40are now insisting
02:40that the father
02:41starts seeing the children again.
02:44Surrey say...
02:45have a duty to explore
02:46if contact would be safe
02:47by reintroducing the...
02:50children to the father.
02:52It looks like Surrey
02:53is rolling the dice...
02:55on creating situations
02:56in which children can be harmed.
02:58This is supposed to be...
03:00one of the most affluent areas
03:01of the country.
03:03Yet, our services...
03:05my services for my most vulnerable
03:06constituents are like this.
03:09The...
03:10day before Zara was murdered,
03:12Surrey's Children's Services
03:13turned up at the wrong house...
03:15due to an administrative error.
03:17In another one of my cases,
03:19the council failed...
03:20to show up
03:20to a promised meeting
03:22regarding a child's care.
03:23As a result,
03:24this child...
03:25did not get the support
03:26they need.
03:27There are real-life consequences
03:29for their...
03:30incompetence.
03:31In November 2025,
03:34the Child Safeguard...
03:35in practice review
03:36that I called for
03:37in to Zara's murder
03:38was finally released.
03:40it confirmed exactly
03:41what I feared...
03:42that the state,
03:43especially Surrey County Council...
03:45failed Zara at every stage.
03:47All the warning signs were there.
03:49They were not...
03:50acted upon.
03:51The authorities were fully aware
03:53Zara was at risk.
03:54She was...
03:55placed on a child protection plan
03:56before being born.
03:59Yet was a...
04:00was a victim of domestic abuse
04:02from that day onwards.
04:04Surrey...
04:05social workers wanted
04:06to take her away
04:08from her father.
04:09But they...
04:10changed their minds.
04:11And that was the consequence
04:12that will haunt us all.
04:15after Zara's murder,
04:17the senior officer
04:18responsible for children
04:20and services at Surrey County Council,
04:22Rachel Wardell
04:22was offered
04:23and accepted a payroll.
04:25of £8,700.
04:28I don't know
04:29how that woman...
04:30sleep at night.
04:31It sends a message
04:32that failure carries
04:33no consequences.
04:34In fact...
04:35it's a reward for failure.
04:36But the safeguarding view
04:38did also...
04:40highlight there were
04:40national issues as well.
04:42Surrey's Children's Services...
04:44So...
04:45Children's Services
04:45in one in five local authorities
04:47across the country
04:48are rated not good enough.
04:50according to Ofsted.
04:52There's a range of spending.
04:55across local authorities.
04:56In York,
04:57they spend £35 million
04:58and are...
05:00rated outstanding
05:00but just down the road
05:02in, I admit,
05:03slightly larger Bradford,
05:04the authority...
05:05spends £262 million
05:08and are rated as inadequate.
05:10with an honourable friend.
05:12I will give way.
05:13I'm very grateful
05:14as an honourable friend.
05:15who is making
05:16a very serious speech
05:18about...
05:19very serious...
05:20issues and I commend him
05:21for not apportioning
05:23blame across the board.
05:25to any one side or the other
05:26and understanding that
05:27in different circumstances
05:28there are different reasons
05:29to blame.
05:30on the funding
05:31that he raises
05:32would he agree with me
05:34that...
05:35the removal by the government
05:36of the uplift funding
05:38for the most remote authorities...
05:40will have an effect
05:41on children's services
05:42as it will on SEND
05:43as it will on...
05:45a whole broad range
05:46of council services.
05:46In Somerset, for example,
05:48it's 53% more expensive...
05:50to provide home to school transport
05:51than in average authorities.
05:53Yet that uplift funding
05:54has been...
05:55removed.
05:55My honourable friend
05:56agreed that that is
05:57a shocking way
05:58to treat our most remote authorities.
06:00Thank you, Mr Weston.
06:02I do agree with my honourable friend
06:03from Taunton.
06:05Funding is an issue
06:06but it isn't just an issue.
06:08I am concerned we are not...
06:10properly resourcing
06:11our children's services department.
06:12The recent government decisions
06:14to...
06:15shift funding
06:15away from rural constituencies
06:18like his
06:19could have...
06:20have a dramatic impact
06:20and the government needs to recognise
06:22that in different parts of the country
06:23there are different funding...
06:25challenges.
06:25And obviously,
06:26a suburban, urban seat like mine
06:28has challenges.
06:30but it will clearly be easier
06:32and cheaper to travel around
06:33compared to his.
06:35I would, yes.
06:37I'm really grateful
06:38to my honourable friend
06:39for making out.
06:40a really, really important speech
06:41particularly on behalf of
06:43his most vulnerable...
06:45on the point we've just been discussing
06:47would you agree with me
06:48that rural very sparsely population...
06:50affected authorities
06:51are able to deliver
06:52good quality children's services.
06:55but only if special educational needs
06:56that provision...
06:57health, integration,
06:59transportation...
06:59are treated...
07:00as kind of national responsibilities
07:01not afterthoughts
07:03as they so often are.
07:04And on...
07:05the funding piece
07:05West London Furnace Council
07:07will receive a funding cut
07:08this year...
07:10we're on £535 per head
07:11in three years' time
07:13£380.
07:15per head
07:15a 29% cut
07:17in three years.
07:18Does he agree
07:19or will he share my...
07:20fears that that puts the safety
07:22of our children
07:23particularly the most vulnerable ones
07:24in West London...
07:25at risk?
07:26I completely agree with that
07:28and I think this is the reason
07:28why I called this...
07:30debate...
07:30we are not spending enough
07:32on vulnerable children
07:33what's happening...
07:35in Westmoreland
07:35with that funding cut
07:36is absolutely shocking.
07:39Um...
07:40I highlighted the example
07:41Mr Weston
07:42of York and Bradford.
07:43They're two cities
07:44in the...
07:45in the same region
07:45we really need to end
07:47that postcode lottery
07:48on...
07:50the life of children.
07:51These children
07:51shouldn't be living
07:53with that abuse
07:53their neglect.
07:55in their fear
07:55but in awful situations
07:58where they are
07:58we need...
08:00local authority
08:01children's services
08:02to have their back
08:02and step in
08:03and protect them.
08:05nowhere is that failure
08:07more despicable
08:08than in conservative...
08:10and Surrey County Council.
08:12My County Council
08:13was rated good
08:13by Ofsted in March.
08:152025.
08:17A decision that many...
08:18uh...
08:20I know
08:20fellow MPs
08:22many of my constituents
08:23and those across Surrey
08:24find bonkers.
08:25Despite this good rating
08:27it's clearly a thin veneer.
08:30that covers up
08:31for the rock within.
08:33There are 60...
08:35there are 66 local authorities
08:36in Surrey
08:37rated...
08:38sorry.
08:38There are 66 local authorities...
08:40in England
08:40that are rated as good.
08:42Based on what I know
08:43and what I've just told you...
08:45about Surrey
08:46if that's good
08:47what on earth is happening
08:48in the rest of the...
08:50country.
08:51The Children's Commission
08:52has been clear about this.
08:53Her research shows
08:54huge...
08:55regional disparity
08:55on children in need plans.
08:57In some areas
08:58children receive early...
09:00intervention
09:00and regular check-ups.
09:02In others
09:02pointless bureaucracy
09:04long...
09:05long waits
09:05and revolving door
09:06social workers
09:07who are poorly trained
09:08and poorly supported.
09:10Children's services
09:11and local authorities
09:12cannot protect children
09:13because of significant loopholes.
09:15in the home education system
09:16as highlighted
09:17by Zara's
09:18safeguarding review.
09:20It proved that Zara's murderers
09:23used those loopholes...
09:25to hide the abuse
09:26when they could no longer
09:28hide the abuse.
09:30from the school.
09:31Zara's father
09:32and stepmother
09:33took Zara out of school.
09:35saying they were going
09:37to homeschool her.
09:38The school could do
09:39nothing about...
09:40this.
09:41The abuse continued
09:42and there were tragic consequences.
09:45The Liberal Democrats
09:47have long campaigned...
09:50for a home to school register...
09:51for a homeschool register
09:52to ensure that
09:54we know...
09:55where the hundreds of children
09:56across the country
09:57are.
09:59We know that they're safe.
10:00some of them
10:01have never attended school.
10:03Not once.
10:05We need that register
10:06of children
10:07not in school.
10:08This is backed
10:09by the NSPC...
10:10This is backed
10:11by the Children's Commissioner
10:12who have said
10:14that this would be
10:14an important...
10:15important step
10:15and important tool
10:16to keep children safe.
10:19I think...
10:20homeschooling
10:20can be hugely advantageous
10:22and parents have a right
10:23to choose it.
10:25but we need to have that register
10:26and above all
10:28parents should lose
10:30that right to homeschool
10:31if there are
10:31safeguarding concerns.
10:33It's clear...
10:35from Zara's safeguarding review
10:36that repeated failures
10:39to share information...
10:40is one of the key barriers
10:42keeping children safe.
10:44The Liberal...
10:45Democrats have long
10:45been campaigning
10:46on this for years.
10:47We need to provide
10:48joined-up support
10:49to meet...
10:50the needs of children.
10:51This mechanism
10:52known as the
10:52Single Unique Identifier...
10:55would really help
10:56this situation
10:56to ensure there's
10:57no more appalling
10:58safeguarding.
11:00cases that I've highlighted.
11:02Every area in our country
11:03needs to have...
11:05a multi-agency safeguarding hub
11:06so that all organisations
11:08can work together...
11:09share...
11:10provide to information
11:10and above all
11:11protect children.
11:13A key example of this...
11:15is Zara's father
11:15and murderer.
11:17He was a taxi driver
11:18who passed a deep...
11:20BS check.
11:21He got his licence
11:22through Woking Barra Council,
11:24the licensing authority.
11:25in my area.
11:26Yet Surrey County Council's
11:27children's services
11:28knew he was a child...
11:30user.
11:32You could see...
11:35you could see...
11:36it's foreseeable
11:36that he was driving around
11:38children with...
11:39special education...
11:40needs or other vulnerable people
11:41including for Surrey County Council...
11:45they use taxi drivers
11:46for home-to-school transport.
11:48Why are we risking...
11:50the lives of vulnerable children
11:51because the computer says no.
11:53We need to share that information.
11:55And then this government's
11:57recent spending review
11:58agreed a real terms cut.
12:00in the grant
12:00to local authorities
12:02for children's services.
12:04I think...
12:05that is appalling.
12:06We should not be cutting this.
12:09We should not be...
12:10putting a price
12:10on a child's life.
12:13In conclusion,
12:14Mr West.
12:15My asks to the Minister
12:16are this.
12:18We need better joined up.
12:20public services
12:20where information is shared
12:22quickly and effectively
12:23to prevent children being put...
12:25at risk
12:25to ensure that local authorities
12:27are well equipped
12:28to deal with the upcoming changes.
12:30in the Children's Wellbeing
12:31and Schools Bill
12:31so that no child falls
12:33through the cracks.
12:35And I would ask him
12:37to agree with me
12:37that something
12:38is clearly wrong.
12:40in Surrey
12:40I urge the Minister
12:41to put Surrey County Council's
12:43children's services...
12:45in special measures.
12:47I know that Surrey County Council
12:48is going to be abolished.
12:50and pleased they are.
12:51But children's lives
12:52are at risk now.
12:54We cannot wait.
12:55for local government reorganisation.
12:57Surrey's failures
12:58must have consequences
12:59for...
13:00them.
13:00not for my vulnerable
13:01constituents.
13:04It must have consequences...
13:05for their leadership.
13:06From April next year
13:07my area is going to have
13:09a new local authority.
13:10West Surrey Council.
13:11I don't want
13:12Surrey County Council's record.
13:15of mismanagement
13:16and poor culture
13:17of serving the public.
13:19Transfer...
13:20to the new local authority.
13:22That is why I urge the Minister
13:23to intervene
13:24to protect...
13:25vulnerable children
13:26like Sarah
13:27in Woking
13:28and across Surrey.
13:30I remind members
13:33that they should bob.
13:35if they wish to be called
13:36in the debate.
13:36Clearly there are
13:37quite a few.
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