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Foster children and their biological parents and siblings have a place to spend time together thanks to a new visitation house in Rockville, the second such house in the state.

Families and children are encouraged to spend time there, where they meet with social workers and learn how to be a family again.

"It lets me observe a family in a more natural setting," said Christina Brown, a social worker who monitors visitation at the house. "I think it helps me see…a more genuine reflection of what the true pattern is in that family."

She watches how mothers respond as their children squabble and what happens when families get together for a meal. Pre-adoptive families can use the home for meetings and a conference room is available for family discussions.

The white house at 216 Monroe St. has no computers and no television, yet last month, 32 children and 17 families gathered to enjoy family time. The house had its official grand opening Thursday.

Pulling families apart can put parents on the defense, Brown said. The house is modeled after Harmony House near Annapolis, the first such visitation house in Maryland, opened in 2007.

The Rockville house is a former county shelter, used first for children, then adults with disabilities. A team of child welfare specialists, state prosecutors, public defenders, court-appointed social workers and others in the county's child welfare system renovated the building using donated time and furnishings.

Clark Construction Group of Bethesda helped to paint, along with volunteers from Church of the Redeemer in Gaithersburg.

Foster care is designed as a temporary placement for abused and neglected children. The county cares for 506 youth and children, said Agnes Leshner, director of the child welfare services. She noted a growing need for foster parents. Families who have long helped are moving on and the numbers of abuse and neglect cases is rising.

More than 350 children live in foster homes, said Leshner. Of those, about 250 are in traditional foster care homes and 50 are living with relatives.

"So, obviously, many of these families have multiple children living in their care," she said. "We need people that are willing and able to provide short-term loving homes… That's really hard to bring someone into their home and then release them to their biological parents."

Frequent visits with parents are a major component of efforts to reunite families, said Juvenile Court Judge Katherine Savage. On average families are kept apart for 18 months.

The house, which has a kitchen, foosball table, books and toys and an indoor basketball hoop is renovated to be more child and family-friendly.