Historical Note. The town of Hartlepool was founded in the seventh century, around the monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The neighbouring new town of West Hartlepool developed in the Victorian period as a successful shipping and industrial centre, rapidly overshadowing its older neighbour and gaining the status of a County Borough in 1902. The old and new towns were formally united in 1967 under the name Hartlepool, with the West Hartlepool Borough Council (or Corporation) then becoming known as the Hartlepool Borough Council.

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 West Hartlepool Council's Public Assistance Committee took over the work previously carried out by the Hartlepool Poor Law Union and retained the existing home at 63 Blakelock Road (now Blakelock Gardens), West Hartlepool, where 15 boys and 15 girls children could be accommodated. In around 1936, the boys' section of the home was been closed, with the girl's section following two years later. The whole home resumed operation in 1945.

Following the passing of the 1948 Children Act, councils in England and Wales 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 gradually expanded the council's stock of accommodation, beginning in 1949 with a new home known as Woodcroft, on Station Lane, Seaton Carew, where 17 children were housed. The Hollymount residential nursery, on Wooler Road, followed in 1951. By the early 1960s, reception centre had been established at Holmewood, 301 Stockton Road, West Hartlepool, and a Family Group Home for ten children at Bonnyrigg Walk, West Hartlepool. At the same time, the old Blakelock Road Home was closed. By 1970, the Hollymount nursery had been replaced by one on Byland Grove, Seaton Carew.

The council's children's accommodation in 1972 is listed below:

In 1974, Hartlepool became part of the new county of Cleveland and the running of its children's accommodation was taken over by Cleveland County Council.