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. Cumberland County Council took over three such institutions. These were:

By 1934, however, the Cockermouth and Whitehaven homes had been replaced by a new home for 50 boys at Englethwaite Hall, Armathwaite, while Lark Hall was used to accommodate the girls. A second girls' home providing 20 places was opened in around 1947 at Scotby House, Park Road, Scotby.

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, Cumberland County 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 Lark Hall, Englethwaite Hall and Scotby House homes. Within a year, however, Lark Hall had closed and been replaced by a new mixed home at Orton Park, Wigton Road, Carlisle, together with the residential Sandath Nursery at Fell Lane, Penrith. The Committee now also had responsibility for the Mill House Remand Home at Brunstock.

By 1950, a new home had been opened in a large house known as Greenhill, at Red Dial, Wigton. Another large property, Geltsdale, at Wetheral Plain, became a home in around 1952.

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. In 1959, the council made its first step in this direction with Wedgewood, a mixed eight-bed 'family group' home at 14 Hollins Close, Whitehaven. It was quickly followed by a similar home at 71 Wastwater Avenue, Workington. Both properties were on new council housing estates. Further family group homes followed in 1965 at 21 Huntley Avenue, Penrith, and in 1970 at 30 Overend Road, Whitehaven, and Allerdale, Longthwaite Road, Wigton. The Greenhill and Geltsdale homes were closed The council's stock of children's accommodation in 1972 is listed below.

As part of the local government reorganisation that took place in 1974, the new Cumbria County Council took over the all council-run homes in the former counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, including those previously run by councils such as Carlisle, Barrow in Furness and Westmorland. Some homes were subsequently closed and a few new ones opened. The establishments in operation in 1977 are listed below.