Overcoming isolation

Fortunately, Trina's home situation improved when her son was born. 'When Chris was born, Dad sort of fell in love with him and I think he felt that there was no going back now so we might as well make the best of the situation. Now he's a doting grandad and my mum adores him too. It's all worked out now but I don't remember my pregnancy as anything other than an incredibly stressful, upsetting time.'

Think positive
Of course, being a young mum isn't all bad news. Gemma Parvey gave birth to her son Joshua when she was 16. Now 19, she believes that young mums have loads to offer their children and can and do make brilliant parents. 'Because I'm young, I've got tons of energy to spend running around playing with Joshua,' she explains. 'I can get right into it when we go to playgroups together and because I'm young and there's just the two of us we are very close. I do get to go out occasionally but I'm not bothered that I'm not out every night.

'Having a baby so young made me grow up quickly but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. It's made me focus on what I want to do, so when Josh starts school in a year or two I'm going to go back to college and study childcare or social work. After all, I've got to do it for him as much as for myself.'