That’s life – Esther Rantzen praises togetherness

TELEVISION presenter Esther Rantzen has praised Camden’s work with troubled families.
The children’s campaigner, who lives in Hampstead, is staging a nationwide inquiry into family life. She spent Tuesday hearing stories from residents at Crowndale Centre and Ampthill Square tenants’ hall in Camden Town.
She said: “In this country, we know that children who end up in care do not have such success educationally and struggle to find work. The work that goes on in Camden is very innovative, especially when it comes to keeping children with their families.
“If there is a problem, the local authority tracks down all the family members and sits down with them.
“I have heard today from a 23-year-old man whose mother  and father had disappeared. He wanted to take on his six brothers and sisters. Normally, the children might have been taken into care. He said to me: ‘Sticking together keeps you warm’ – I thought that was a wonderful phrase.”
Ms Rantzen hopes to speak to about 10,000 family members during an 18-month survey for the Family Commission quango. Evidence will be submitted to the government and major political parties later this year.
TOM FOOT