Overview

• Sara Sharif's father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, were sentenced to life in prison for her murder, which involved years of severe abuse described by the judge as 'torture.'
• The abuse was concealed through homeschooling, allowing the perpetrators to evade scrutiny despite prior safeguarding concerns raised by Sara's school and social services.
• New legislation, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduces stricter oversight of homeschooling, including mandatory registers and restrictions for families under child protection investigations.
• The case has intensified calls for reforms to child protection systems, with the children’s commissioner advocating for tighter oversight of children removed from schools.
• Sara’s death has also drawn attention to the rising number of homeschooled children in England, with experts emphasizing the need to balance parental rights with safeguarding responsibilities.