Posted by Peggy Kaufman

A group of friends gathered on a recent Saturday night at the home of Rachel and Mark Rosenthal to learn about the programs of the JF&CS Center for Early Relationship Support® and hear directly about our work. As we sat around the living room, I informed the couples about the what, why, and who of CERS. Andrea Siani, Program Coordinator of JF&CS Healthy Families Central Middlesex, described the specific goals of the program. Two young parents shared their experiences of being pregnant teens and then parenting young children while facing the challenges of adolescence.

After the formal presentation, the couples spent over an hour informally chatting with the young parents to learn more about how they found JF&CS. They also discussed the young parents' hopes for the future now that they are in school and exchanged stories about parenting young children.

This opportunity for an informal evening chat with program participants was a first for CERS. All who attended felt they had an intimate introduction to our unique work and a special feel for the pulse of what we do each and every day to give parents and their babies the best start.

Peggy H. Kaufman, MEd, LICSW is the founding director of the JF&CS Center for Early Relationship Support. With a background in perinatal emotional health and the growth and development of parents, her interests include the earliest relationships. Ms. Kaufman is the recipient of multiple awards for her groundbreaking programs and her commitment to increase awareness of postpartum depression and maternal and infant mental health.