Third-level grants may be puny but let's face it, some grant is better than no grant - especially if you have no other means of support. Take 19-year-old Keith Moss, for example. Keith is one of a growing number of young people who are virtually "divorced" from their families.

But without a family income to declare, Keith, a student at Ballyfermot Senior College in Dublin, is ineligible for a third-level grant. His father left home when Keith was eight, lives in New Zealand and has no contact with his son. When relations with his mother broke down a year ago, Keith decided it was time to bail out. Thanks to part-time jobs, he's been able to keep body and soul together and he's managed to avoid sleeping rough. Keith is lucky: he's an intelligent, articulate young man with a passion - music. "I've always harboured an ambition to be a musician and have always wanted to study music," he says. He plays guitar, sings and writes his own songs. He's largely self-taught. He's appeared at gigs around the city - unpaid. "You have to do that to get yourself known," he says. He sent a demo tape to Blank Magazine a while back, and got what he describes as "a startlingly good review". He's determined, too, to continue his education.

Recently he was accepted on to Ballyfermot's full-time music performance course. Things were looking up: his life was beginning to take shape. Or so he thought. He applied for a maintenance grant - only to discover that because he is unable to give details of parental income, he is ineligible.

He decided to approach the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. They told him that because as a student he would be unavailable for work, he was barred from getting any supports. If he were actively seeking work, however, he'd be able to collect up to £65 per week. But what about the VTOS scheme, which allows people to retain their benefits and go back to education? Surely it was designed for people just like Keith? Not true. There's only limited application through the VECs for this one, and you have to be aged 21 years and unemployed for six months to qualify. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs also runs a back-to-education programme, which enables people aged over 21, who are in receipt of social welfare, unemployment assistance or benefit, one-parent family assistance and disability allowances, to return to education. Sadly, it's of no use to Keith. Undaunted, he even tried the Eastern Health Board. Was there a rent allowance he could claim? Absolutely not, they said. Keith believes that there is a small but growing number of young people who, for one reason or another, have no contact with their families, but who would like to continue in education. As it stands, without financial supports, they have no real chance of doing so. Family breakdown is a growing problem, which impacts on student finances, confirms David Wyat, welfare officer at the students' union in DIT Mountjoy Square. "I've just dealt with a student who is financially up the wall," he says. "She has broken with her parents, was never in receipt of a grant because the parental income was too high and now has no support. It's fine if you qualify for a grant in first year and then fall out with your family - your grant continues." Wyatt says that the largest group of applicants to the student hardship fund is students who have broken with their families and that many of these are fourth-years. Final year, he notes, puts a particular strain on students, which can be detrimental to family relationships. The Department of Education and Science is aware of the issue and is monitoring the situation. However, even if the Department wishes to take action it will need funding - and so the approval of the Department of Finance.

Last October, the Minister explained in a written answer to a Dail question that an independent mature student is defined as a person of over 23 years of age who is not ordinarily resident at home and is deemed to be self-supporting.

"I appreciate the difficulties that these provisions can give rise to in individual cases . . . However . . . an alteration to the provisions would require amending legislation."

Keith, meanwhile, is struggling to make ends meet. His savings are dwindling and he relies on the charity of the family of his girlfriend, Laura Saunders.