A damning report into the chaotic nature of Tia Sharp’s family life has been revealed as part of a serious case review into the 12-year-old's murder.

Tia Sharp, of Pollards Hill, Mitcham, was murdered in August 2012 at the hands of her grandmother’s partner Stuart Hazell who was jailed for 38 years after pleading guilty in May.

The body of the Raynes Park High student was found wrapped in bin liners in the loft of the home Hazell shared with her grandmother in the Lindens, New Addington, on August 10 - a week after she went missing.

A serious case review has today been published into her death which has revealed the "bright and happy" child rarely attended school, her mother and step dad who she lived with were known to be regular cannabis users, and that social services had received a number of referrals over concerns about the family throughout her short life.

In 2008 a midwife raised concerns after Tia’s mother, Natalie Sharp, admitted to routinely using cannabis throughout her pregnancy.

Miss Sharp was offered help in addressing the issue but was said not to have taken up the offer.

The same year police raided Tia’s family home in Mitcham on a drugs warrant after which both Natalie Sharp and her step father David Niles were arrested and charged with drugs offences, while Tia was taken to school by police officers.

At school, Tia’s attendance routinely fell below 80 per cent and just weeks prior to her death the council was in the process of taking Natalie Sharp to court over her daughter’s poor attendance, however her grandmother, Christine Sharp, stepped in at the last minute to say that arrangements were being made for Tia to stay with her and Hazell - the man who would eventually murder her.

Hazell, who was largely absent from any interactions with the family, was known to agencies and was assessed by probation services as a "low risk to adults" based on previous convictions dating back nearly twenty years which included violence and drug-related offences, but there was no indication that he was a risk to children.

While Tia was known to social services as a "child in need" based on her family’s home life, the report found that there was no evidence to suggest Tia was in any immediate danger and that while a number of referrals over concerns about Tia’s home life were received, there was no direct evidence of abuse or neglect which would have warranted the 12-year-old's removal.

However the report did admit these referrals were "missed opportunities" to more fully assess and engage with the family.

Kevin Crompton, independent chairman of the Merton Safeguarding Children Board, said that while the family could be described as "dysfunctional" the incidents were not enough to warrant intervention by social workers above the level of support that would routinely be offered to families in their situation.

He said: "There is no evidence to suggest that any agency knew something that could have affected the outcome in the case."

He added: "There is no doubt Tia lived in a family with a slightly chaotic lifestyle.

"But the issue we face, particularly social services, is that although the family was slightly dysfunctional that in itself does not constitute sufficient reason to remove Tia.

"The fact is the law requires us to wherever possible keep families together.

"There was no occasion where any of the referrals that came, either individually or collectively over a period of time, amounted to a legal case to remove Tia, particularly balanced against the fact that Tia, I understand, was a happy, bright child."

Serious case reviews are carried out when a child dies and abuse or neglect is suspected and to determine if any lessons could be learned.

Following the report an action plan for the borough and individual agencies has been put in place which includes giving better guidance to schools on tackling poor attendance, that agency staff should be better prepared to deal with parental misuse of alcohol and illegal drugs as well as strengthening arrangement for staff in dealing with domestic abuse and in dealing with hostile or resistant families.

Mr Crompton said: "The important thing is that one really does feel for the tragedy of this for the family of Tia.

"Somebody has been convicted for a crime and we have examined the evidence and there is nothing to suggest that anyone knew anything that could have prevented it."

He added: "The board will periodically every three months monitor whether these recommendations have been put in place.

To view the full report go here.