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 Liverpool Council's Public Assistance Committee took over the West Derby Union's Fazakerley Cottage Homes, where almost 600 children could be accommodated, part of the Olive Mount Cottage Homes site at Wavertree, which was used as a receiving home for 50 children, and the Working Boys' Home at 101 Shaw Street. By 1947, a hostel for girls from the Fazakerley cottage homes had been opened on Longmoor Lane.

Former Fazakerley Cottage Homes, 2001. © Peter Higginbotham

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:

• Fazakerley Cottage Homes, Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley
• The Olive Mount Cottage Homes, Old Mill Lane, Liverpool
• Boys' Home, 101 Shaw Street, Liverpool
• Springcroft Babies' Home, Aigburth Hall Avenue, Aigburth
• Woolton Vale Remand Home for Boys, 239 Menlove Avenue, Woolton
• Remand Home for Girls, Derwent Road, Stoneycroft
• Greystone Heath Approved School, Stocks Lane, Sankey, Warrington

By 1952, a new home had been opened at 30 Parkfield Road, Liverpool. Further additions by 1954 comprised the New Heys Nursery, at 470 Allerton Road, Allerton; the Fulwood Park Nursery, at 5 Fulwood Park; the Fernlea Girls' Hostel, at Quarry Street, Woolton; the Westfield Boys' Hostel, on Greenbank Lane, Sefton; and a new home at 77 Park View Road, Croxteth.

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. The Park View Road home — a mixed 'family group' home marked the council's first move in this direction. In 1955, it had been followed by seven more, mostly located on new council housing estates around the city. They were at 19/21 Back Gillmoss Lane, Croxteth; 1/3 Clieves Road, Kirkby; 36 Heaton Close; 30/32 Minver Road; 20 Rathmore Avenue; 6 Regal Road, Croxteth; and 31 Ternhall Road, Sparrow Hall Estate. Further new home open by 1956 were at 42 Alder Road, Stoneycroft; 4 Livingston Drive; 27 Melling Road; Sunny Oak, Hughendon Road; 2 Warnerville Road; and 12 Greenhill Avenue. In 1958, the list was joined by 35/37 Lydbury Crescent, Kirkby, and in 1959 by 41 Balmoral Road, 5 Dewey Avenue, and 81 Queen's Drive.

The council's stock of children's residential establishments remained fairly static during the 1960s, with just a few openings and closures. Its accommodation in 1972 is listed below:

The 1970s saw a slight contraction in the accommodation stock, including the closure of longstanding homes such as those on Back Gillmoss Lane and Minver Road. The council's children's establishments in 1983 comprised:

Location	Places
Children's Admission Unit, Livingston Drive	55
New Heys Assessment Centre, 470 Allerton Road, Allerton	30
Springcroft Children's Home, Aigburth Hall Avenue, Aigburth	20
Parkfield Children's Home, 30 Parkfield Road	20
4 Livingston Drive South	20
Mossfield Children's Home, Thingwall/Childwall Road	20
77 Park View Road, Croxteth
9 Rathmore Avenue
42 Alder Road, Stoneycroft
Sunny Oak, Hughendon Road
2 Warnerville Road
12 Greenhill Avenue
81 Queen's Drive
5 Dewey Avenue
Fernlea, Quarry Street
22 Coronation Drive
Sydney House, 9 Linnet Lane
Mossfield, Thingwall/Childwall Road
St Christopher Home for Girls, 7 Chesterfield Road
Boaler Assessment Centre, Higher Lane
Derwent House for Girls, 61 Derwent Road, Stoneycroft	30
Greystone Heath School, Stocks Lane, Sankey, Warrington	104