Schoolgirl sisters raise babies together in family home

THREE schoolgirl sisters are raising babies together in a house they share with their mother after giving birth aged 12, 14 and 16.

The family is paid benefits worth more than £30,000 a year and lives in a rent-free council house.

Julie Atkins and daughters Natasha Williams, now aged 18, Jade Williams, 15, and 14-year-old Jemma Williams told how the babies' fathers had no contact with their children and contributed nothing towards their upkeep, according to the Sunday Mercury.

They are paid benefits of £600 a week, bringing them an annual income of about £31,000.

Youngest daughter Jemma was the first to fall pregnant, at the age of 12, after having sex with her teenage boyfriend.

She gave birth to son T-Jay in February last year.

Just weeks later Jade, then 14, and 16-year-old Natasha who is in a secret relationship with the baby's 38-year-old Asian father found they were pregnant.

Natasha had daughter Amani in November and Jade followed with Lita in December.

The two younger sisters are still at school and are the only young mothers in the playground. Jade sits four GCSEs this year and hopes to work in IT. Jemma takes her exams next year.

All four mothers live rent-free in their three-bedroom Derby house and receive a combination of income support, tax credits and child benefit.

Double divorcee Mrs Atkins, aged 38, remains unrepentant about the family's situation, blaming society for their predicament.

She told the Sunday Mercury: "I don't care what people say about me.

"I blame the schools, sex education for young girls should be better.

"They have all ruined their lives, because they are far too young to have children."

The sisters feature in the BBC3 series Desperate Midwives: The real truth about childbirth that airs from 9pm tonight.