Family Camp 5 (aka Brat Camp 5) – note change in emphasis of name is apparently currently in filming (December 2006) for transmission early 2007.

It appears that Channel 4 is to continue the trend set by the last series of Brat Camp – “Family Brat Camp” where parents joined their troubled teens on the program.

A press release from the ANASAZI Foundation (based in Mesa Arizona) has announced that the latest Twenty Twenty Television series (made on behalf of Channel 4) will follow four mothers and their daughters as they participate in a wilderness therapy programme run by the organisation.

The therapy programme will run for 21 days with the option, if considered necessary (as with Family Brat Camp) for the troubled teen to join a teenage only group for a further period of wilderness therapy at the end of the Mother/Daughter portion.

It is not clear whether the reduced time period is a clear trend by Twenty Twenty Television, following on from precedence set by Family Brat Camp,to reduce production costs – bearing in mind that the first three series covered periods of up to circa 115 days necessitating a heavy commitment in staff and camera time.

It could also be a reflection of the popularity of the show format and the fact that a new series is produced approximately every six months.

Alan

I think that there is a very good reason for the 3-weeks limit and that is Brat Camp 4.

It is stressful to be out there and opposite the child-only camps the participants can choose to leave and they do if they find out that the cost of bonding with the child is not free.

In a way it is sad, because the result of a family camp is so much better if the target is a healing of the family instead of a scared straight intervention.

Every child comes with a price of care and love but for some it just too expensive if they ends up missing other things in life.