In 1930, the Boards of Guardians, who had administered the poor relief system in England and Wales since 1834, were abolished and their responsibilities were taken over by county and county borough councils. Each council set up a Public Assistance Committee to oversee its new duties, which included the operation of the various children's establishments previously run by the poor law unions in each area. The Birkenhead Council's Public Assistance Committee took over four homes in the town previously run by the Birkenhead Union. They comprised a receiving home accommodating 30 children at Manor Grange, 2 Egerton road, together with scattered homes, each with 12 places, at 93 Westbourne Road, 86 Highfield Road, and Ashford House, Ashford Road.

By 1934, the Westbourne Road and Highfield Road homes had been replaced by Sunnyside, on Knowsley Road, Rock Ferry, which housed 24 children. Ashford House had sldo closed by 1937. Following an enlargement of Manor Grange to 48 places, Sunnyside was closed in around 1938. During the Second World War, Manor Grange was temporarily closed and the children evacuated to Plas Coed, 83 Dyserth Road, Rhyl, North Wales. By 1947, Manor Grange had been joined by a new home named Overchurch at Moreton Road, Upton. Each home 40 accommodated children.

Following the passing of the 1948 Children Act, councils were required to provide care services for all needy children in their area, especially those who lacked a normal family home. In common with other local authorities, the council established a new Children's Committee, whose responsibilities had previously been spread across separate Health, Education and Public Assistance Committees. The Committee took over responsibility for the Manor Grange and Overchurch homes.

The 1948 Act had recommended that where children needed to be in residential care, they should be in 'family group' homes, which ideally accommodated no more than eight children, or twelve at most. By 1952, the council had taken this path with the opening of 'family group' homes on new council housing estates at 33/35 Poolwood Road, Woodchurch; 69 Gainsborough Road, Overchurch; and 26 Garrick Road, Prenton Dell. Further family group homes followed at 17 Tulip Avenue, Claughton, by 1965, and at 49 Bridle Close, Ford Estate, Upton, by 1967. The council's children's accommodation in 1972 was as follows:

In 1974, as part of a reorganisation of local government in England and Wales, the Birkenhead and Wallasey Borough Councils were abolished and replaced by the new Wirral Borough Council. The new council became responsible for the provision of social services across the Wirral and took over a number of children's homes previously operated by Birkenhead and Wallasey.