I thought it was really excellent drama. Alfie was the most tragic story - a little boy, neglected by his parent, trying to juggle his responsibilities of looking after his siblings, telling lies to protect his mum from the authorities (social services), and at the same time trying to keep "the gang" on the estate happy, because not being part of them would be worse than being part of them.
Poor little lad. Rochelle, too, was not what the viewer expected, she was clever/intelligent, worked hard, and attractive, hoping to go to Uni, but was tarred with the same brush as the others on the estate just because of where she lived.