Fatal child abuse and neglect: The case of Sara Sharif and the limits of culturally responsive safeguarding

The 2023 murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif following prolonged abuse by her father and stepmother exposes profound failures within child safeguarding systems in England, particularly in relation to Black and racially minoritized children. In 2024, proceedings at the Old Bailey confirmed that Sara had been subjected to a sustained “campaign of abuse” prior to her death in the family home in Woking, Surrey. Despite multiple warning signs, including a referral from her school to social services, statutory agencies failed to intervene in ways that might have prevented her death. Using Sara Sharif’s case as a critical lens, this chapter examines how cultural considerations, such as family norms, values, and assumptions about community practices, can complicate the identification and reporting of child abuse in Black and racially minoritized families.