Announcement, Press Release |
The Children’s Room in the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse will reopen Monday, Dec. 15.
The Cook County Circuit Court’s Children’s Room program provides free, on-site child care for children whose parents or guardians must attend court. The program offers a safe, supervised space that allows adults to focus on their court matters knowing their children are nearby and well cared for.
The Children’s Rooms were closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All reopened in late 2023 except the Leighton location, which continued serving as a remote court access room for Zoom proceedings. The facility is now returning to its original purpose.
Operated by experienced early childhood education and development professionals, the rooms are designed to be welcoming, engaging and age-appropriate. Staff members are trained to support children who may be navigating unfamiliar routines associated with a court visit. Volunteers and interns assist with supervision, and snacks are provided.
“We’ll have toys for ages two through 12,” said Nekeda Confer, Director of Children’s Rooms for the Circuit Court of Cook County. “We play educational shows. The setting is very much like an early childhood classroom.”
The program also benefits parents and guardians, who can proceed with their legal matters without needing to arrange outside childcare or keep children in courthouse hallways. Court employees are able to conduct proceedings more efficiently when children are in a supervised setting outside the courtroom.
Confer noted that the Leighton room is expected to be one of the court’s busiest, along with the Children’s Room in the Domestic Violence Courthouse at 555 W. Harrison St. Those locations typically serve about 100 children a month during the school year, with higher numbers during school breaks. The timing of the reopening aligns with anticipated increased use during the holiday period.
A smaller remote access center has been created in Room 099. Litigants from any courthouse may use the center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the week, according to Marta Almodovar, supervisor of the court’s Office of Accessibility and Outreach.
The Cook County Circuit Court opened its first Children’s Room in 1973 in what is now the Richard J. Daley Center. With the reopening of the Leighton room, there are now 10 Children’s Rooms in court facilities across Cook County.
Media Contact: ocj.press@cookcountyil.gov
(312) 603-5414
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