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Baby Fathers

English photographer Edmund Clark captured the young fathers with their young children and asked to share their parenting experiences. Later, these photographs were exhibited at the London Underground Piccadilly Circus.

Arbey, 18 years old, and Alisha, six weeks

"My father is an abusive drunk. He didn't give a toss when I told him I was going to be father, he thought it was a joke. He wasn't around when I was growing up and I don't want Alisha to miss out like I did. She will get the things a normal child should have, like love and support from a father and family who are there every day. I have to make a future for myself so my daughter can be proud of me – I don't want her to see me as a drunken bum. I want to be a role model more than anything."

Richard, 19 years old, and Ceriese, one year

"There is a difference between a father and a dad. A dad comes every now and then to give the mother money if the child needs anything. A father is there for his child whenever, he speaks to his child, advises his child, makes the child see the world. I see myself as a father, because my dad was a dad."

Ryan, 17 years old, and Caitlin, three months

"There should be more support for fathers and fathers' groups. The teenage ante-natal classes and social workers had nothing to say about what I should expect, about how my feelings and relationships might change. I was ignored and made to feel like the second parent. Even the shop is called Mothercare – where's the Fathercare?"

David, 18 years old, and Matthew, 8 months

"Now I am 24 hours a day in charge of my girlfriend and son. I must keep working to keep us well fed and so that the three of us could live. From that moment everything that I do will affect him. As I will be forever be his Dad".

Kieren, 19 years old, and Chloe, 7 months

"When Chloe smiles or laughs, I know that it's a mutual love, and I know that I helped this creature to come into the world. Now I have Chloe and her mother. I could not wish for more."

Sean, 16 years old, and Mason, 2 months

"I want to be with Mason all my life. No yelling and excessive rigor. We will be best friends, who can talk about everything and have no secrets from each other. I'll tell him not to become a young father like me."

Andrew, 17 years old, and Chloe, 11 months

"This has really hurt me. It has been the worst part of my life. Before coming in here I had a family and I was happy. Now I've lost the girlfriend I was engaged to and I haven't seen my daughter for four months. I might have lost her and she might have lost a father. Taking a family away when you're so young – that's punishment, the worst kind of punishment."

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