The ward was created in 1920 and the ward boundaries were changed in 1953, 1973, 1980, 2004 and 2023.
1980 boundaries
A report of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England published in November 1978 set out proposals for changes to the wards of Liverpool City Council, maintaining the number of councillors at 99 representing 33 wards. Childwall ward was represented by three councillors.[1]
The report describes the boundaries as "Commencing at a point where Childwall Park Avenue meets Woolton Road, thence northwestwards along said road and continuing generally northwestwards along the northeastern boundary of Church Ward to the eastern boundary of Old Swan Ward thence northwards along said boundary to the southern boundary of Broadgreen Ward, thence generally eastwards along said boundary to the eastern boundary of the City, thence southeastwards along said boundary to Bowring Park Road, thence westwards along said road to the West Derby - Hunt's Cross railway, thence southeastwards along said railway to Well Lane, thence southwestwards along said lane to Childwall Lane, thence southeastwards along said lane to the southeastern boundary of the Childwall Hall County College playing fields, thence southwestwards along said boundary to the eastern boundary of Childwall Woods, thence southwards along said boundary and northwestwards and southwestwards along the southern boundary of said woods to Woolton Road, thence northwestwards along said road to the point of commencement".[2]
2004 boundaries
The ward boundary was changed at the 2004 municipal elections to take in a small part of the former Valley ward and losing part to the new Wavertree ward.[3]
The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 13,098.[4]
2023 boundaries
The ward boundary was changed at the 2023 municipal elections following a 2022 review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England which decided that the 30 wards established in 2004, each represented by three Councillors, should be replaced by 64 wards represented by 85 councillors with varying representation by one, two or three councillors per ward.[5] Childwall ward was to be represented by two councillors and the ward boundaries were extended slightly to the east taking in part of the former Belle Vale ward, and lost area in the west to the new Wavertree Garden Suburb ward.
The ward boundaries follow the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, behind Thornton Road, including St Pachel Baylon Primary School, Childwall Valley Road, Score Lane, Childwall Lane, the southern boundary of Childwall Woods, Woolton Road, and Queens Drive. The ward includes the Liverpool Hope University Hope Park campus.[5]
The population of the ward at the 2021 census was 12,258.[6]