Respect - Cass's story
Cass is 18. She lives in the East Midlands with her boyfriend and their five-month-old son, Spencer.
"Life would be much easier for young mums if there was more understanding and respect."
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"Getting pregnant was a big surprise, but I knew straight away I wanted to keep the baby. People around me weren't so sure though. Mum was worried it would stop me doing things. My boyfriend's dad said we were wasting our lives.
"People's attitudes do change when you're a young mum. I've lost touch with my old friends - they just think young mums are different and stay away. Now my friends are girls I met at the YWCA. We can talk about things there without feeling that other people will judge us.
Fact
Research has shown that negative images of young mums put forward by politicians and the media have a damaging effect on how young mums are treated by the public and by professionals.
An independent survey of the media showed that articles about young mums were three times more likely to be negative than positive. |
"Other people have negative attitudes about young mums, but for me, having a baby has made me more confident. It's matured me a lot too: I'm more tidy, I have a routine, and I'm careful about my money.
"I'm very positive about the future. I'm planning to go to college, to do a health studies course and then a midwifery degree.
"I do worry that when I try to get a job people will look down on me and think I'm unreliable because I had a baby so young. I was working when I got pregnant, and my boss was quite disapproving.
"A lot of people think young girls get pregnant because they can't be bothered to use protection or are ignorant about it. But teenagers are just like anyone else. Mistakes happen. Life would be much easier for young mums if there was more understanding and respect."
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Fact
A recent research study showed that 78.9% of young mums felt that motherhood had increased their determination to get a good job. |
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