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. Blackburn Council took over the cottage homes on Queen's Road, formerly run by the Blackburn Union, together with two other homes in the town at 108-110 Cherry Street and 61-63 Hickory Street. By 1936, 108 Cherry Street had become a Home for Working Boys, while 110 Cherry Street was no longer in use.

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 existing homes on Queen's Road and what was now referred to as 100 Cherry Street, while the Hickory Street home was apparently closed.

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 1954, the council made its first step in this direction with a mixed 'family group' home in a terraced house at 134 Shear Brow, Blackburn. This was quickly followed by further homes at 594 Whalley New Road, 28 Cleveleys Road, 16 Fielding Crescent, 129 Pilmuir Road, 21 Whitby Drive, 62 Whitebirk Road, and 4 Dunoon Drive. All but the first of these were on new council housing estates that were being erected around Blackburn. In about 1963, a reception centre was opened at 215 Shadsworth Road, Blackburn. A further family group home was opened at 9 Orkney Close in 1971.

As part of the local government reorganisation that took place in 1974, Blackburn's social services provision, including its children's residential care, was taken over by Lancashire County Council.