Licensed Daycares in Hawthorne, CA

Daycare & Childcare in Hawthorne

As of August 2026

What does real choice in child care look like for a family in Hawthorne? With 28 licensed providers spread across the city, split between 29 centers and 44 family child care homes, parents here are weighing a genuinely wide range of formats and settings rather than picking from a handful of similar options. All of these programs operate under a license from the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division, and CloverMap brings that full, verified list together in one place for families starting their search.

What to know about childcare in Hawthorne

Choice, in a practical sense, means having more than one kind of program to compare, and Hawthorne offers that in abundance. The city counts 28 licensed providers, and unlike some cities where centers dominate, Hawthorne leans toward family child care homes, with 44 homes against 29 centers, a split of about 60% homes to 40% centers. That home-heavy tilt means a larger share of Hawthorne's options are smaller, caregiver-run settings inside a residence rather than large staffed facilities, though a meaningful number of centers, such as Atherton Baptist Church Preschool, remain part of the mix as well.

Scale in Hawthorne runs smaller than in many nearby cities, with an average licensed capacity of 29 children per provider. That figure lines up with the city's home-heavy composition, since family child care homes generally hold fewer children than a center. For parents, a lower average capacity often points toward smaller group sizes and a more individualized day-to-day experience, which may be exactly what some families are looking for and less of a fit for others who prefer a larger, more structured environment.

Age-group coverage in Hawthorne is broad across the board, led by preschool-age care at 62 providers, or 85% of the total. Infant and toddler coverage are each reported by 51 providers, or 70%, notably higher shares than many cities show for those younger age groups, and school-age coverage sits at 46 providers, or 63%. That combination suggests Hawthorne's home-heavy provider base is covering the full span of ages fairly evenly, which can be an advantage for families with children of different ages looking for consistency across siblings.

Regardless of format, every provider in Hawthorne holds a license issued by the California Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division. That license reflects state review and approval to operate under California's child care licensing rules, whether the location is a multi-classroom center or a single home. It does not describe a program's specific philosophy or daily structure, so direct conversations with providers remain an important step once a family has a shortlist.

Given that homes outnumber centers in Hawthorne by a wide margin, families searching here should expect most of their options to be smaller, caregiver-run settings rather than large facilities, which is a different search experience than in a center-dominant city. Parents who specifically want a center-based program still have 29 to choose from, but should expect a narrower field than the home-based side of the market offers. With strong coverage across infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age care alike, CloverMap's Hawthorne listings are a practical way to filter by provider type and age group to match a family's specific needs.