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 Riding County Council's Public Assistance Committee took over the work previously carried out by twenty-four Poor Law unions, although not all of these had operated their own children's homes. After reviewing the stock of accommodation it had inherited, the council initially kept twelve homes in use. These were at:

Former Aireview Children's Home, Broughton Road, Skipton, 2010. © Peter Higginbotham

The list was extended in 1933 with the addition of Lane End House at Chapeltown, near Sheffield, with 25 places. In 1938, the Bilbrough and Rawcliffe homes were closed following the council's acquisition of the 104-bed children's cottage homes at Scholes, near Holmfirth, originally established by the Huddersfield Union and then run since 1930 by Huddersfield Borough Council.

Lane End House, Chapeltown, 2014. © Peter Higginbotham

Former Scholes Cottage Homes, 2014. © Peter Higginbotham

The Todmorden home was closed in 1939, with Wakefield following in 1940. In 1946, three new homes were established: Sandal Hall, near Wakefield (26 places); Elm Grove Nursery, Pontefract (20); and Cubley Hall, Penistone (20). Another nursery, Wheatley Lawns, at Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley, was opened the following year.

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. As well taking over management of the council's existing children's existing accommodation, the Committee opened several new homes and nurseries. The establishments for which the Children's Committee was responsible in 1949 is shown in the table below.

Former Bramham House Home, Boston Spa, 2014. © Peter Higginbotham

Considerable expansion of the council's children's accommodation took place during the 1950s. Its provision in 1959 is shown below.

Former Dryfield House Home, Batley, 2014. © Peter Higginbotham

Hill Top House, Ilkley. © Peter Higginbotham

Following the 1948 Children's Act, the recommended practice was for children in residential care to be placed in 'family group' homes, with at most twelve residents in each, though ideally eight. In 1959, relatively few of the West Riding Council's homes met or came near this target. By 1972, the number of residential nurseries had increased by one with the addition of Sherwood House, Rotherham. One home, The Cedars had closed. The main change during the 1960s, however, was the opening of a dozen smaller homes with between eight and ten places. These are listed in the table below.

Following the local government reorganisation that took place in 1974, the West Riding County Council was replaced by the West Yorkshire County Council. As part of the shake-up, several former West Riding Council homes were taken over by the new Leeds City Council. These included: Ainsty Lodge, Wetherby; Bramham House, Bramham; Inglewood, Otley; Southville, Stanningley; and Waterloo Manor, Garforth. Burnside House, Skipton, was taken over by the North Yorkshire County Council, while the two homes at Gomersal, Follingworth House and Gomersal House, were taken over by the new Kirklees Metropolitan District Council.