Rolling Meadows courthouse gets new 'Children's Room' for day care

Rolling Meadows' Third Municipal District Courthouse is an austere, imposing place - except for one cheery room on the second floor.

Here the beige and gray functionality that dominates most of the building gives way to muted greens and blues, large pillows and furry rugs.

On Tuesday, the space that once housed the law library reopens as The Children's Room, a drop-in day-care center for children whose parents or guardians have court appearances or other business at the courthouse.

Rolling Meadows is the last of the suburban courthouses to open a day-care facility, which was the brainchild of children's advocate Rhoda S. Bresler. Her efforts led to the establishment of the first courthouse day-care center at Chicago's Richard J. Daley Center in 1973. Between 1994 and 2017, nine other day-care facilities opened at Cook County's courthouses, including the juvenile and domestic violence centers as well as the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th Street and California Avenue in Chicago.

The free program operates weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Rolling Meadows center accommodates up to 33 children from infants to 16-year-olds.

"When (children) first arrive, they cry because they don't want to leave their parents," said director Sylvia McCullum. "When their parents come to pick them up, they don't want to leave."

There is plenty to keep young patrons busy. The shelves are filled with toys, puzzles and books - storybooks for young children and classics like "The Wind in the Willows," "Little Women" and "Treasure Island" for older kids.

Computers loaded with educational software (but without internet access) line a wall of windows. The furniture comes in pint size and regular size to accommodate all ages.

There's a separate nursery containing cribs, a changing table and a large comfy chair, which staff members can use as they feed the hungry and soothe the fussy.

While the center is well-stocked now, McCullum says donations are needed: formula, diapers and socks, in particular. Between Friends, an agency that assists families affected by domestic violence and is on the lower level of the Rolling Meadows courthouse at 2121 Euclid Ave., will accept donations of new and gently used items.

"Thank you in advance for what you will do here," Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans told staff members, volunteers and Rolling Meadows judges during a recent dedication for the center.

Evans expressed gratitude for McCullum, praising her efforts, which include purchasing supplies with her own money.

"Your work is not going unnoticed," he said.

Besides employees - who typically have a background in early child education and are required to take a 40-hour training course - the center will rely on volunteers, McCullum said.

"We're looking for individuals who love working with children," she said. They have several. The spouses of two Rolling Meadows judges and the mother of Presiding Judge Jill Cerone-Marisie have already volunteered.

Knowing their children are in a safe, secure environment while they attend to courthouse business offers parents relief and allows them to concentrate on the business at hand, Cerone-Marisie said.

The center is always locked, Cerone-Marisie said. Employees buzz in parents who must leave an ID, phone number and contact information. They must also indicate the courtroom or department where they will be.

"Coming to court is an anxious experience to begin with," she said. Knowing their children are well-cared for "will have a calming effect on parents and their children."

• For information on Between Friends, call (773) 274-5232 or see betweenfriendschicago.org.