Community in Action
Spotlight on Family Enrichment Services: Supporting Adoptive Families with Compassion and Care
This month, in honor of Adoption Awareness Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Family Enrichment Services (FES), a vital partner in our Chosen Families Program. We had the pleasure of speaking with Natalie Cuddy, Executive Director at FES, to learn more about the organization’s history, mission, and the incredible impact they have on families in our community.
Family Enrichment Services began in 2006 under its original name, Adoption-Related Services of Pinellas. Natalie shared how the organization was founded by clinicians who recognized a critical gap in the support offered to children in foster care and their caregivers. Counseling at the time often focused solely on the child, leaving caregivers without the guidance they needed to build strong, successful families. Recognizing this need, FES created specialized counseling services tailored to families formed through adoption. Over the years, the organization has expanded to serve foster families, birth families, and other caregivers, always striving to provide trauma-informed support and meet families where they are.
According to Natalie, adoptive parenting brings unique challenges. Families adopting through the foster care system, in particular, often feel overwhelmed after transitioning from a highly monitored system to managing everything on their own. Family Enrichment Services helps bridge this gap by offering in-home counseling services and trauma training for professionals and families. Natalie emphasized how important it is for families to feel heard and supported without judgment, noting that FES works to meet families where they are and help them navigate their challenges with compassion.
Parenting Matters partners with FES to provide an in-home counselor for our Chosen Families Program. This collaboration ensures that adoptive families receive the specialized care they need to thrive.
We are proud to partner with Family Enrichment Services and to work together toward building stronger, healthier families in our community. If you’d like more information on ways you can support the Chosen Families Program, reach out to us today. Together, we can make a difference.