Meet the parents

Baby-faced Alfie Patten was just 12 when the baby was conceived during one night of unprotected sex with Chantelle Steadman, 15.

Her unemployed parents, Penny, 38, and Steve, 43, are alleged to have ­allowed the pair to share Chantelle’s bed.

Alfie lives on a nearby council estate with his mother Nicola, 43, but spends much of his time at the Steadmans’ home. His mother said yesterday: “We will be there for Alfie. We will cope.

“There has been lots of over-reaction. This should be a happy time but the whole thing has been traumatic.”

Alfie’s father Dennis, 45, who has nine children, said his son “could not fathom the enormity of the birth."

Mr Patten, who works for a vehicle recovery firm and is separated from Alfie’s mother, added: “He hasn’t got a clue of what the baby means and can’t explain how he feels. All he knows is mum and dad will help.

“When you mention money his eyes look away. And she is reliant on her mum and dad. It’s crazy. They have no idea what lies ahead.”

Mr Patten said his son cried when they first spoke of the pregnancy.

He told his father it was the first time he had had sex and that he did not know about the consequences.

Mr Patten added: “I will talk to him again and it will be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to understand so there is not another baby.”

The teenage parents, who are living on benefits in a crowded council house with Chantelle’s parents and five brothers and sisters in Eastbourne, East Sussex, admit they have no idea how they are going to provide for the child.

And the sorry tale of just how fractured parts of British society have become took a further twist last night when there were claims that several other boys from the shabby estate could be the child’s father.

The shocking case has provoked a fierce political debate about whether Britain’s schools need better sex education.

Alfie says he wants to be a “good dad” and “care” for his baby daughter, Maisie Roxanne.

He said: “I didn’t know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”

Asked how he would cope financially, the youngster replied in a ­video clip posted on YouTube: “What’s financially?” Chantelle said: “I know we made a mistake but we will be good, loving parents.”

But last night there were claims that Alfie, who is just 4ft tall, may not be the child’s father.

Neighbours claim Chantelle had been allowed to “run wild” and had been involved in sexual relationships with at least five boys.

A neighbour said: “That baby has five possible dads. Chantelle has had so many boyfriends there’s no way of knowing if Alfie is the father. I think he should have a DNA test.”

Another said: “Chantelle is treated like an adult who can do what­ever she wants. She is not a young innocent girl who got pregnant by the first boy who came along.”

Conservative leader David Cameron said last night: “It’s really worrying that in our country today we have children having children. We hope that they will be good parents but parenthood is not what they should have been thinking about.”

Nigel Waterson, the MP for Eastbourne, said: “This is a very sad ­story which will have a huge impact on both the parents and the child. I’m very pleased that the families are being supportive but this of course raises huge questions about sex education.”

Norman Wells, director of the charity Family and Youth Concern, said: “Unless we begin to seriously address the issue of underage sexual activity we shall continue to see ­cases like this.

“The Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy, with all its emphasis on sex education and making contraception freely available to young people, is creating a climate in which teenagers think it is normal to be sexually active under the age of 16.”

The teenagers kept the pregnancy secret until Chantelle’s mother ­noticed her daughter’s condition.

They pleaded with their parents to let them keep the baby and not have an abortion.

Maisie Roxanne was born weighing 7lbs 3oz at Eastbourne District General Hospital five days ago. Alfie was the first to hold the baby and is helping to feed her.

His next-door neighbour yesterday told of his shock that the youngster who kicks his football over the fence had become a father.

John Holmes, 90, said: “I can’t ­believe little Alfie is already a dad. He’s just a little boy himself.”

Sussex Police said last night they would not be pursuing any criminal investigation even though both children are under the legal age of consent, because it was “not in anyone’s interests”.

A police statement said: “A joint investigation with East ­Sussex County Council Children’s Services has taken place which has considered the needs of both individuals and there will be continued support for these two young people in future.”

The headteacher at Cavendish School, where Chantelle is a pupil, declined to comment.

But the school’s former head, ­retired Arthur Cornell, said: “The authority of parents is being undermined and children are not being given proper guidance about proper relationships.

“As a quick fix, they are being ­given bags of free condoms and ­directed to the nearest sexual health clinic. But that is not the guidance they need.

“Now the chickens are coming home to roost, with Britain’s teenage pregnancy rate currently the highest in Europe.”