Ineligible for Class 2 because of raising a young child before leaving the UK ?

Hi, As an UK expat that meets all necessary requirements to pay Class 2 NI contributions apart from "you worked in the UK immediately before leaving", are there any exceptions to this requirement in the event that I was unable to work immediately before leaving the UK because I was raising a young child? It seems that if I had not had my child and was at the time working, I would be eligible to pay class 2 NI contributions now I'm working abroad. The fact that I had a child to support means I am instantly ineligible to pay class 2. Is my understanding correct? Or are these circumstances taken into account? I raise the question because the reality is this. With a child to support now, I am unable to afford to pay for NI contributions for class 3 without having insufficient money to provide for my child. This is not in the best interests of children.

Hi jessie79 Woodward,
Unfortunately, without looking at your National Insurance records we are unable to confirm whether you would be eligible to pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance contributions overseas or not.
There are many different factors that need to be considered, and although you may not have been working in the UK immediately prior to leaving, this does not mean that you definitely wouldn’t be eligible to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions at the Class 2 rate.
To find out if you are eligible, please complete the CF83 application form
Apply to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions when abroad (CF83)
Thank you. 

I completely symapthise with this post. I had just finished a degree before I left the UK (I was actually recovering from a PhD and a car crash where I broke my back). Thus, I was not working 'immediately' before I left. HMRC are telling me I cannot get Class 2. How is this fair? I don't understand the 'loigc' Respectfully, telling someone to fill out form CF83 is circular 'logic'. That form will already have been filled out to find out what Class they are being offered. How else would the person know what Class they were allocated?