3. A parental contribution ascertained in accordance with this Part shall be applicable in the case of every student except—
(a)an independent student;
(b)a student in respect of whom the board is satisfied either—
(i)that his parents cannot be found; or
(ii)that it is not reasonably practicable to get in touch with them;
(c)a student who has been in the care of the Department of Health and Social Services or a Health and Social Services Board or in a voluntary home as defined in section 126 of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968(1) throughout the three months immediately preceding—
(i)the first year of his course; or
(ii)without prejudice to head (i), his attaining the age of 18 years where he had attained that age before the first year of his course,
and has not, at any time, during the said period of three months been allowed by that Department or that Board to be under the charge and control of his parents or, in the case of a student who has been in a voluntary home, has not, at any time during such period, been under such charge and control;
(d)a student whose parents are residing overseas where the board is satisfied either—
(i)that the assessment of a parental contribution would place those parents in jeopardy; or
(ii)that it would not be reasonably practicable for those parents to send any such contribution to the United Kingdom;
(e)where sub-paragraph (7) of paragraph 5 applies and in the year preceding the first year of his course the student has had his home with the parent whom the board considered the more appropriate for the purposes of that sub-paragraph and that parent has died.
Section 126 was amended by Part II of Schedule 5 to the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/595 (N.I. 4))