Kids' Korner

Description

Kids' Korner is a waiting room for children who have been brought to the Lake County Courthouse by parents or guardians. Each year, Kids' Korner provides temporary care for approximately 2,000 children. Many of the children who use Kids' Korner are in the courthouse because their parents are parties to criminal charges, divorce proceedings, or petitions for orders of protection. Not infrequently, the children themselves have been witnesses to violence in their homes. In Kids' Korner, children are spared the stress of seeing and hearing traumatic family events relived in Court proceedings. In addition, they are protected from exposure to the transaction of criminal cases, which can be very distressing to young children. While the primary focus of the program is to protect the children, the program also benefits the operation of the Court system. No longer are children present in the hallways and courtrooms of the courthouse. No longer do they pose a distraction to the orderly administration of justice. Kids' Korner staffed by a full-time Coordinator, two employees and a dedicated group of volunteer caregivers from all over Lake County.