The National Council of Associated Children's Homes (NCACH) was formed during the Second World War. The Council was set up to promote the cause of voluntary welfare provision and when criticism was aimed at the Voluntary Children's Homes in post war Britain the charities had a mechanism in place in which to defend themselves. Individual regions also held their own meetings. By the late 1940's its influence had grown and it became the body for communication and negotiation between voluntary societies and central and local government. A quarterly magazine was set up in 1947 called 'child care' which all of the regions contributed to. The 1948 Children's Act recognised the role of the voluntary organisations in providing child care but gave the local authorities powers to check that provision. Two General Secretaries of the Refuges, W. I Cunningham (1938-1954) and Reginald Edward Hughes (1955-1982), were also Honorary Secretaries of the North West group of the NCACH. This sub group was set up in 1948.
