PLACES like Cuckmere House in Seaford go unnoticed by many of us.

We go through life without needing their services, our children happy at school.

But if you went and spent some time there you may get quite a shock. Youngsters who have not been dealt the best card in life trying to overcome their problems with the help of very selfless and dedicated individuals.

There are youngsters like Alfie Bonwick, who has autism, but has supportive parents.

Then there are children who have severe behavioural problems who can no longer be in a mainstream school education.

The people who work at these schools have not chosen that career for the money.

They want to help youngsters to get over their problems so that they can get back on track and lead happy lives.

Once a child gets a bad start in life, it is very difficult to undo what has happened. If a baby has been left to be cared for by its siblings, for example, or left to cry and cry in soiled nappies for so long it gives up crying, the consequences are deep and long-lasting.

It takes committed people, like those at Cuckmere House, and committed teaching assistants at schools, to spend hours and hours, days and days providing the trustworthy support that has been sadly lacking in their lives at crucial times. It is heartbreaking that councils are so short of cash that they feel unable to support some of the services involved in this care.

Somehow, we need to make sure we don’t let these youngsters down.

Some of them have been let down far too much in life already.