Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ strives to meet the needs of the local community. Recently, the JFS MetroWest Child and Adolescent Services Department has received calls from parents expressing interest in social skills groups for their children who are having difficulty making and keeping friends, managing their emotions, reading social cues and negotiating social situations.

To respond to this need, JFS of MetroWest is launching two new groups that will run from November 7 through December 13 at its office in Florham Park, located at 256 Columbia Turnpike, Suite 105. One group will be for children in third through fifth grades and will meet Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The other group is for adolescents in sixth through eighth grades and will meet on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The groups will engage in interactive and creative interventions to boost self-confidence, improve problem-solving and communication skills and enable children to become more caring and empathetic. Building on these skills will help participants to initiate, develop and maintain friendships.

Both groups will be facilitated by licensed clinical social workers experienced in dealing with the specific needs and issues of children and adolescents. Most major insurance will be accepted. If you wish to learn more about or register your child in the group for third through fifth graders, please contact Robin Bernstein, LCSW at 973-637-1716. If you would like to learn more about or register your adolescent in the group for sixth through eighth graders, please contact Robyn Krugman, LCSW at 973-637-1749.