A mother-of-two claims she and other working parents will suffer after a change in a nursery’s admissions policy means her daughter will not be accepted there.

Carol Minto, 39, who runs Arts and Crusts cafe in Victoria Road, Walthamstow, added that families living in the area have been denied any say in the changes to which children get a place at Chapel End Early Years Centre.

Terri Martin, joint head teacher of Chapel End Infants School and the centre, in Brookscroft Road, wrote to parents last Monday telling them that from September full-time day-care places for two-year-olds will no longer be offered.

Instead it will increase the number of part-time places for two-year-olds funded by Waltham Forest Council.

Ms Martin claimed the demand for full-time care was no longer financially viable while part-time care funded by the local authority was increasingly popular.

She added: “The governors and the leadership team at Chapel End are making these changes in a drive to secure the future sustainability of the centre so that we can continue to best meet the needs of the Chapel End community.”

But Ms Minto, whose eldest daughter went to the early years facility but whose younger child Thora will not go, claimed dozens of working families will lose out, and that the letter was the first they had heard about it.

She said: “We’re drastically low on good nurseries here and Chapel End staff show such love and dedication to the kids.

“There’s parents who have to work all day and they want their children to be in a safe and enjoyable environment. Now we get less quality time with our kids as we’ll have to send them to nurseries further away.

“They’re letting lots of families down in favour of a guaranteed income from the council. We deserve a say in this community as well.”

The Guardian has approached governor and local councillor Paul Douglas for comment.

Have you had a similar experience at Chapel End Early Years Centre, or a similar experience elsewhere in the borough? If so please contact reporter Joe Curtis on 07824 530 127 or at jcurtis@london.newsquest.co.uk