Since the Baby P incident last year, the nation has been even more aware of child neglect cases that go undetected by social services. It’s so difficult to understand how someone could deliberately allow harm to come to their own young, but sadly it happens every day.

This week, two alarming stories have made the national news; one case in Indonesia, the other right here in Great Britain. The English case took place on Brighton beach when a young mother from Plumstead in South East London took her baby for a day out. You must remember what glorious sunshine we had this weekend with temperatures reaching 25 degrees, so it was important to cover up or wear sunscreen. This is even more vital for babies and young children, whose skin is much more delicate than an adults.

On Sunday 23rd May, the mother spent the day in the hot sunshine on the beach, leaving her 5 month old baby completely exposed. Witnesses have claimed that other women questioned this, eventually shouting at the mother to protect her child. She simply covered the baby with a blanket so that its burns could not be seen, but the raucous alerted some PCSOs who were doing a beach patrol. They called for the Police and an ambulance, and the baby was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where it had to spend 2 days due to 40% burns. The social services and the Police are currently investigating this incident.

Across the globe in a small village in Indonesia, a journalist discovered that a 2 year old boy is addicted to smoking cigarettes. His very first cigarette was given to him when he was only 18 months old, and he quickly started to crave more. Now, he smokes 40 cigarettes every day. His parents give them to him otherwise he throws a tantrum – anything for an easy life. When the boy’s father was asked if he was worried about his son’s health, he appeared nonchalant, claiming “he looks healthy”.

Tobacco and cigarettes can be bought very cheaply in Indonesia, and they do not have any smoking ban laws like we do in the UK. Neither do they have large health warnings on the packaging, which means there is probably less education about the health risks.

Our London escorts were horrified to hear this story; in the UK, it is illegal to buy cigarettes below the age of 16 and giving one to a baby or a toddler is incomprehensible. Hopefully the little boy will manage to kick his habit before it’s too late.