The Santa Clara County Superior Court, in partnership with Catalyst Community, this week announced the grand reopening of the children’s waiting room at the Morgan Hill Courthouse, 301 Diana Ave. The enhanced facility reopened to the public on July 14.
The free, first-come, first-served waiting room provides a welcoming and developmentally appropriate space for children while their parents or guardians attend court business at the South County facility. The waiting room is located on the first floor of the courthouse, and is open 8:15am-4:45pm Monday-Friday. The room closes for lunch each day from 12-1pm
“Our children’s room is filled with toys, games and art activities to ensure that kids feel safe, supported and occupied while their families handle often challenging legal matters,” said Presiding Judge Julie Emede. “We’re honored to offer this service in partnership with Catalyst Community to support families in Santa Clara County.”
The children’s waiting room is staffed by trained childcare professionals and follows strict registration and safety protocols, says a press release from the court. Upon dropoff, both the child and their guardian will receive matching wristbands; children are released only to the adult wearing the corresponding wristband.
Designed for children ages 2-12 who are in good health and fully potty trained (no diapers or pull-ups), each child may attend for a maximum of four hours per day, up to three times per week and no more than 12 hours per week, says the press release.
In addition to the South County Courthouse location, the Children’s Waiting Room at the Family Justice Center Courthouse in San Jose reopened on April 22, providing the same high-quality free childcare services for families attending court proceedings in that building.
This resource reflects the Santa Clara County Superior Court’s ongoing commitment to improving access to justice by reducing barriers for families with young children, court officials said.
For more information, visit: https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/CWR.
