Young Mums Say they are Good Parents

10 May 2010, 05:40

A group of young mums from Maidstone are trying to change people's perceptions that they are lazy and live off benefits.

They are going to be putting up posters in the town to show that having a child at a young age isn't a bad thing.

The mums came up with the idea after getting involved in a TV project to give 16-25 year-olds the chance to have a say on issue that really affect them.

Jade Bell, 20, says: "I was 16 when I fell pregnant and by the age of 18 I had two and now I'm a single mum.

"I find that people assume that we're all on benefits and just sitting at home living on other people's money and not doing anything with our lives.

"I feel that people tar us all with the same brush - they think we are all bad parents because we are teen parents."

Claire Budd is 22 and has two children: "I walk in the streets and I get people swearing at me for having my children young.

"Me and my partner, we don't have any help from anyone yet everyone assumes that we do.

"We need to get these positive images out there to show that whatever age you are you can still be a good mum."