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.

Rotherham's Public Assistance Committee took over the work previously carried out by the Rotherham Union. In 1933, its children's accommodation comprised:

By the following year, the Alma Road homes had been replaced by Oaklea, 104 Clough Road, which also provided 24 places. In 1940, the Westgate home was replaced by 50-52 Canklow Road. The houses at 148-152 Fitzwilliam Road now formed a single establishment. In 1943, a new home for seven children was in use at West Street, Anston, but appears to have ceased operation by the following year. In 1948, Lindum House had been replaced by a a new home at Park Mount, Clifton Lane, and residential nursery at Oakwood Grange, Moorgate.

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 the management of the council's existing children's accommodation. The establishments for which it was responsible in 1949 are shown in the table below.

In 1951, the Canklow Road home was replaced by Fairholme (referred to as Fairhurst from about 1958), 7 Clifton Crescent South. By 1954, new 'family group' homes had been opened by Westclose, 17 West Close, and Woodholme, 18-20 Wood Road, followed in around 1960 by a home at 27 Goldsmith Road. The last three of these were all on new council housing estates. The Oaklea home was closed in about 1956. By 1965, further family group homes had opened at 60 Studmore Road and 1 Treefield Close. Another, at 92 Creswick Road, was in operation by 1967. By 1970, Oakwood Grange had been replaced by a new residential nursery at Wallhead Grange, Munsborough Lane. The council's children's accommodation in 1972 is listed below:

Following a nationwide reorganisation of local government in 1974, Rotherham took over the management of a number of establishments previouly run by the West Riding County Council. Rotherham's accommodation for children and young people in 1983 is listed below. All are in Rotherham unless otherwise indicated and those taken over from the West Riding are indicated by an asterisk.